Your List of Unread Books [don't have to be PD]

[lightcrystal]

Here is my shortlist of books that I KNOW I would enjoy or get a lot from, but I will probably never read.

1. Neuromancer [1984] by William Gibson
2. Bonfire of the Vanities [1987] by Tom Wolfe
3. Foucault’s Pendulum [1988] by Umberto Eco
4. Christian Astrology [1647] by William Lilly
5. The Crowd in The French Revolution [1959] by George Rudé
6. Triumph of the Nomads [1975] by Geoffrey Blainey
7. Dracula [1897] by Bram Stoker
8. The Good Earth [1931] by Pearl.S.Buck
9. Gulliver's Travels [1726] by Jonathan Swift
10. Dicey's Song [1983] by Cynthia Voigt

That is quite a list of extremely sinful omission. Like being a Physics Professor and confessing that you have never heard of the laws of thermodynamics.

As an aside when Sean Connery became an actor he was illiterate. Then his acting coach threw a mountain of classics such as Chaucer into his lap. Connery protested "I can't read this!" His acting coach said "read them anyway!"

[Dulcamara]

I know this sounds crazy, but The Penguin Guide to Punctuation has been sitting next to my computer for the most part of a year. I've NEVER understood when to use the colon or the semi-colon. Somehow I can't seem to take the plunge. It's one of those things on my bucket list. (Yes, it's a strange list.)

[Peter Why]

Jasna, you might read "Eats Shoots and Leaves" by Lynne Truss, if you want a better introduction to punctuation ... and the book's a lot of fun.
Peter

[Dulcamara]

Jasna, you might read "Eats Shoots and Leaves" by Lynne Truss, if you want a better introduction to punctuation ... and the book's a lot of fun.
Peter

Thank you for the suggestion, Peter. I've just browsed for the book and it actually looks great fun!

[lightcrystal]

I know this sounds crazy, but The Penguin Guide to Punctuation has been sitting next to my computer for the most part of a year. I've NEVER understood when to use the colon or the semi-colon. Somehow I can't seem to take the plunge. It's one of those things on my bucket list. (Yes, it's a strange list.)

Luckily for you I am the nerd who has read all about punctuation. My era of education I was taught this by some very good English teachers who had PhD's. I wish that I could thank them but that would probably reveal who I am lol. Here goes:

A semi-colon, the ; mark, is the pause slightly longer than a comma. You can use it to [1] give an explanation of what's occurred before. Jim was tired; his blankets were rough sack-cloth. Sam too was tired; Jim's irritations had kept Sam awake. [2] you can show contrast in a sentence. This use is one that most people forget about. The near side of the moon had the Alpha Base; the far side has the Gamma Base. The action was downtown; the sleepy quarter was uptown. [3] You can create a list. This is the most complicated use of a semi-colon. I went shopping and bought one jar of pickles; one jar of onions; 3 bags of alfalfa; 2 sticks of celery.

A colon, the : mark, is slightly longer than a full stop. Its use like the [1] above but giving it a slower emphasis. Often with a long single sentence follow up. Joe was a postal delivery man: his route for the last 20 years had been First Street, Third Street and Ninth right down to the Docks.

This is my non-controversial quick guide. Let's not start on the Oxford Comma debate lol. There isn't absolute agreement. For instance with [3] some authors will say that what follows the semi-colon must make a self contained sentence. Other authors will say as I say that it's not necessary to do that. I think that everything that I have put here is pretty safe though.

This is going to show what I nerd I am. I recommend The Complete Plain Words by Gowers. He goes into punctuation far better than I have here. Enjoy! It is also [don't laugh] a fun book to read. He takes a witty approach.

[Dulcamara]

Wow, thank you so much, Lightcrystal. That's very useful. I really appreciate it.

[lightcrystal]

Wow, thank you so much, Lightcrystal. That's very useful. I really appreciate it.

Thanks! I enjoyed it! I have grabbed the book The Complete Plain Words by Gowers off my shelf just to check. He agrees basically with what I said. He goes into a lot more detail. I like that use of a semi-colon to contrast two parts of a sentence. That is a life saver in an exam. You get nervous and you can't make a sentence. You were nervous before seeing it; after using the semi-colon your nerves vanish.

[Dulcamara]

Thanks! I enjoyed it! I have grabbed the book The Complete Plain Words by Gowers off my shelf just to check. He agrees basically with what I said. He goes into a lot more detail. I like that use of a semi-colon to contrast two parts of a sentence. That is a life saver in an exam. You get nervous and you can't make a sentence. You were nervous before seeing it; after using the semi-colon your nerves vanish.

Nervous in an exam? It's been a long time since I sat for one but I can still relate to that!

[maxgal]

Just remember: Punctuation saves lives! ==> "Let's eat, Grandma!"

[maxgal]

O yeah, list of unread books:
: The Tale of Genji
: The full set of Palliser books.
: The full set of Barchester Chronicles.

[Dulcamara]

Just remember: Punctuation saves lives! ==> "Let's eat, Grandma!"

Soooo good!

[Gvbriel]

Books like diary of a wimpy kid should be in here for kids

[Gvbriel]

It would help bring more people to the website