Here's the latest Booking Through Thursday question:
I’ve always wondered what other people do when they come across a word/phrase that they’ve never heard before. I mean, do they jot it down on paper so they can look it up later, or do they stop reading to look it up on the dictionary/google it or do they just continue reading and forget about the word?
My response:
It depends: if it's obvious by the context what the word or phrase means, I'll probably jot it down and keep reading (then look up later).
If it creates a stumbling block, I'll put my book down, grab a dictionary (or go to www.dictionary.com if I'm online) and look it up on the spot. If it's a phrase I'm unfamiliar with, I'll google it, or ask someone else nearby if they've heard of it.
I must confess I'm frustrated when I come across I word I don't know, so I'll always look it up at some point!
Showing posts with label Booking Through Thursday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Booking Through Thursday. Show all posts
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Booking Through Thursday: a writing challenge
It's time for Booking Through Thursday...
The challenge:
Pick up the nearest book. (I’m sure you must have one nearby.)
Turn to page 123.
What is the first sentence on the page?
The last sentence on the page?
Now . . . connect them together….(And no, you may not transcribe the entire page of the book–that’s cheating!)
My response: (from Paula by Isabel Allende)
Don Manuel died today
I hope my mother can last until then, I think she is about at breaking point.
In the words in between these two sentences, Allende poignantly describes the pain of watching a loved one die and having to console a widow exhausted by grief.
The page is particularly moving, given Allende is viewing of Don Manuel's death, and the grief of his family, in the context of watching her own daughter struggle with a life-robbing illness. From the last line, it would appear Allende's mother is also buckling under the weight of their battle.
So much pain and meaning in one page, and so beautifully written from a position of helpless love.
I've only just started this book, and this teaser is a reminder it's going to be an emotional journey.
The challenge:
Pick up the nearest book. (I’m sure you must have one nearby.)
Turn to page 123.
What is the first sentence on the page?
The last sentence on the page?
Now . . . connect them together….(And no, you may not transcribe the entire page of the book–that’s cheating!)
My response: (from Paula by Isabel Allende)
Don Manuel died today
I hope my mother can last until then, I think she is about at breaking point.
In the words in between these two sentences, Allende poignantly describes the pain of watching a loved one die and having to console a widow exhausted by grief.
The page is particularly moving, given Allende is viewing of Don Manuel's death, and the grief of his family, in the context of watching her own daughter struggle with a life-robbing illness. From the last line, it would appear Allende's mother is also buckling under the weight of their battle.
So much pain and meaning in one page, and so beautifully written from a position of helpless love.
I've only just started this book, and this teaser is a reminder it's going to be an emotional journey.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)