Preface Creating an Annotation was first published in 1979 as a guide for staff members of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress (NLS), who provide book announcements for the informa­tion of patrons using the service. Its purpose was to give a frame of reference for a consistent approach to annotation goals and content. The document was well received by a wider library community, being utilized by other Library of Congress units and appearing on library school reading lists. Copies have been requested from services throughout the United States and around the world. The need for well-written annotations remains the same today, and much of the material from the first edition is retained in this revision, although the presentation may be somewhat different. In addition, some material needed expansion, and some new areas for discussion have appeared. Much of the material new to this edition concerns specifics on treatments of bibliographic information and formal elements of style, which were mentioned only briefly in the1979 volume so that the content would have more general application. However, such considerations are essential for making this a truly useful manual for NLS staff. NLS treatments may not apply to other groups involved in annotation writing, but every group needs to establish a workable format. To this end, ours may be helpful as an approach. The original manual was conceived and written by Viola (Vicki) Harrington Fitzpatrick, writer-editor in the NLS Publications and Media Section, and has served as the basic annotation reference for NLS writers and editors for nearly a quarter century. She is also responsible for the gradual development over the years of this revised and expanded version. Contents Part One :The Words Why annotations? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Elements of book announcements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 What an annotation does and doesn’t do . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Considering content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 What makes a good annotation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Annotating a variety of books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Time and place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Sensitivities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Judgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Taglines—sex, violence, and strong language . . . . . . . 37 Planning an annotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Study what the book is about . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Select what to include . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Structure what is to be presented. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Determine an appropriate length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Choose a writing style to fit the book . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Writing—the last step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Get to the point. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Choose appropriate language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Vary sentence structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Be specific and concise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Adhere to style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Editing an annotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Why edit? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Is the annotation stylistically correct? . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Is the annotation grammatical? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Is the annotation interesting?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Is the annotation judgmental?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Does the annotation describe the book? . . . . . . . . . . 121 Are the facts accurate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Part Two :Style and Presentation Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Capitals—initial letters only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Lower case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Punctuation and ampersands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Titles within titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Exceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Subtitles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Punctuation between title and subtitle . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Titles within subtitles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Series name as subtitle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Series name as title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Consistency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Series titles in text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Forms of names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Parts of a name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Coauthors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Multiple authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Editors, selectors, compilers, and the like . . . . . . . . . 146 Text style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Type style—titles in text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Dates and times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Historical and cultural periods and events . . . . . . . . . 152 Genres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Titles and offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Religious terms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Additions to text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Taglines—descriptive phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 PRINT/BRAILLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Grade levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 For older readers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Prizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Bestsellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Foreign language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Dates and time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Dates at the end of annotations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Time-sensitive phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Eras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Dates and the database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 One-line annotations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Grade levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Prequels and sequels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Familiar characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Repetition of annotation text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Catalog subject categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 About NLS catalogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Subject categories for catalogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Assigning subject categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Things to consider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Dealing with different types of category records . . . . 172 Reviewing catalog categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Catalog subject headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Adult catalogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Children’s catalogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Part One: The Words Why annotations? NLS provides informa­tion to readers through book announcements, and annotations are an integral part of these announcements. The purpose of annotations is to help readers select books that they want to read. This aim is consistent with, and part of, the purpose of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)—to make avail­able to blind and physically handicapped readers a library collection and service similar to that available to any reader through the public library system. Individuals who are blind or handicapped have the same need as other library patrons to know about the contents of books before they decide to read them, but special condi­tions prevent them from using print library services for information. They can’t browse until something attracts attention or use card catalogs and other reference material. They can’t hold the book in hand and see the pictures, check the table of contents for material included, or flip pages to sample writing style. NLS works to provide access to book-information services through book announcements to readers, and annotations are an integral part of these announcements. These announcements are used in a variety of ways: on the copy-allotment information used by network libraries to deter­mine the number of copies of a particular book they wish to order for circulation to readers; in the bimonthly maga­zines Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review, which readers use to select recently produced books; in annual and biennial catalogs of books produced during the dates listed; in subject bibliographies and minibibliographies devoted to a specific topic. The annotation is also narrated as part of the introductory information to a recorded book. Elements Most important, the annotation forms part of the database for the NLS International Union Catalog, which contains bibliographic records for braille and audio books available from a variety of sources in the United States and abroad. All records cite the holding agency, an essential feature for access to the material listed. Annotations seem to be everywhere, and they remain with us for a long, long time. Consequently, each one needs careful consideration to begin with. While NLS has not recorded titles on either rigid or flexible discs for more than a decade, books already produced remain a part of the collection. Similarly, production of titles on cassette is being phased out in favor of a digital format, but the exist­ing books will remain available to patrons, probably also for many years to come. Elements of book announcements Basic information about the book appears first. It is gener­ally the same information available to print readers: ¦ title—identifies the book ¦ subtitle (if any)—provides additional information ¦ author (or editor, compiler, translator). Also included is information specifically for our audience: ¦ a book number for ordering, which consists of a two-letter prefix that indicates the medium (RC for recorded cassettes, BR for braille, RD or FD for discs) followed by four or five digits ¦ the name of the reader in case patrons have favorites or prefer male or female voices ¦ the number of discs, cassettes, or braille volumes to indicate the length of the book Additions Annotation replaces browsing ¦ reissue or rerecord (when appropriate) to indicate that the book has been available before; patrons may have read it or wish to read it again. Annotations, brief descriptions of what’s in the book, follow and form the core of book announcements—the part that gives the content and flavor of the work. Other information that readers might find useful is incorporated in the annotation and often comes after the description of the book’s content: ¦ sequel or prequel to …. (early in the annotation or the first item after the description) ¦ part of a series (if not given in a subtitle) ¦ statements about strong language, violence, and descriptions of sex ¦ grade level for juvenile or young adult books ¦ awards to author or book ¦ status as a bestseller. Such information is available, most of it on book jackets, to library patrons who can handle books. Sighted people can often determine the presence of sex, violence, and strong language through jacket summaries or by sampling a few pages. Sampling will also help with decisions about grade level and appropriateness of content. Because our readers cannot sample the books, they need to be provided with the information. What an annotation does and doesn’t do An annotation covers the scope of the book and the author’s approach—either directly through statements or indirectly through tone and style—and gives readers enough information to make their own decisions. It does not say this is a good book; it shows that. Good annotation An annotation should... An annotation is not... writing doesn’t declare itself; it is good because it doesn’t intrude on content, but complements it. An annotation should: reflect content be interesting and readable avoid being judgmental. The announcement as a whole should be bibliographically accurate stylistically correct written for audio as well as visual readability. An annotation is not a review. A review gives general infor­mation about content, considers the author’s intent, and com­ments on success. It expresses a personal point of view and is always signed, either individually or in a list of editors. An annotation is not an abstract. An abstract gives a condensed version of total content. It’s generally used for technical works and shows the problem tackled, method or procedure, and conclusions drawn. Total content is more information than our readers need; too many facts can kill interest rather than arouse it. Considering content The good annotation Eleven models: (1) Before writers can write or editors edit, they must under­stand the goals and recognize the elements that make up a good annotation. They also need to be aware of general approaches, specifics that need attention, and areas that can create problems. What makes a good annotation? Bad annotations will generally declare themselves; the good ones pass by relatively unnoticed. This phenomenon is not unique to annotations or to good writing of any kind. People send letters to newspaper editors about gram­matical mistakes and typographical errors, while accepting as normal and expected all the words that are correctly spelled and properly used. Therefore, let’s take a look at some well-written annota­tions and focus on what makes them work. The concepts covered in the comments will be developed in more detail later, but an overview here helps to establish the goal. Open Season: Sporting Adventures by William Humphrey Annotation: Thirteen urbane articles by an out­door writer. “My Moby Dick” finds Humphrey in the Berkshire Hills resolved to take a thirty-pounder in a sporting manner befitting its own dark nobility. “The Spawning Run,” about salmon fishing, is also an essay on the ancient sport of cuckoldry. A self-revealing story, “Birds of a Feather,” is an ode to a plucky little woodcock. Comment: The introductory sentence provides spe­cific information about the book’s contents (thirteen articles) and contrasts the approach (urbane) with the subject (the outdoors). The three articles selected (2) (3) illustrate the writer’s respect for the creatures he pur­sues (sporting manner befitting, dark nobility, plucky) and hint at whimsy and another kind of hunt (the ancient sport of cuckoldry). Note how well the descriptions relate to the title of each article. Welcome the Morning by Bobby Hutchinson Annotation: Charlie Cossini looks like a frail Dresden figurine. But when she bellows orders to her carpenters in that strong, husky voice, it’s easier to believe that she’s the boss of her own, all-female construction crew. Idle rich playboy Ben Gilmour, a Hawaiian real-estate baron, is captivated by Charlie’s incongruities at their first meeting. Explicit descrip­tions of sex. Harlequin Novel. Comment: The description of the heroine, whose name (Charlie) implies a male, is immediately con­trasted with her appearance (frail Dresden figurine) and then the traditional masculine image is restored (bellows orders; strong, husky voice; boss of her own…construction crew), and the image is rein­forced by incongruities in the next sentence. The hero, in contrast, is described only by who and what he is (idle rich playboy, real-estate baron). The only hint as to plot is in the final sentence; he’s captivat­ed by. That’s enough plot; these two people are sure­ly going to get together somehow. It’s more than enough when followed by explicit descriptions of sex and Harlequin Novel. Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold! by Terry Brooks Annotation: When Ben Holiday arrives in Landover, the magic kingdom he purchased through a mail-order department store, he finds the place in a shambles. The taxes have not been collected, the peasants are without hope, the barons refuse to rec­ (4) (5) ognize him as king, and a dragon is laying waste to the countryside. Bestseller. Comment: What can you expect when you buy a kingdom by mail order? The second sentence builds, with fine parallel construction, from the mundane of uncollected taxes to the exotic of a destructive drag­on. The tone fits the book. An Evil Cradling by Brian Keenan Annotation: Held hostage for four and a half years in Beirut, an Irish teacher describes how he dealt with the mental and physical abuse inflicted by his captors. First in solitary confinement and later in the company of other hostages, Keenan was deter­mined to endure the maltreatment by the Shi’ite militiamen. He attributes his survival in part to his ability to explore the condition in which he found himself. Violence. Comment: An appalling subject is given serious and careful treatment. The first sentence defines the evil cradling of the title immediately with held hostage, adds information about the place and dura­tion, identifies the author (an Irish teacher), and concludes with the book’s thesis: how he dealt with twofold abuse, both mental and physical. The second sentence adds details about his confinement and his captors, and reinforces the theme of determination. The final sentence deals with how he believes he set his mind to accomplish his goal. Violence is implicit in the subject, and the one-word descriptive tagline sets that out starkly. Pubis Angelical by Manuel Puig Annotation: Experimental novel interweaves remi­niscences and dreams with an examination of politi­cal and sexual issues. The story—set in central Europe in the 1930s and a Mexico City hospital (6) ward in the 1970s—contains allegorical excursions, possibly fantasized, into a post-atomic age of the far future. Explores the vicissitudes of twentieth-century Argentine history, the travails of the female psyche, and the necessary role of fantasy in human life. Descriptions of sex. Comment: Good defining first sentence: Experimental novel provides an immediate alert to something unusual, followed by the contrast of mys­tical elements (reminiscences and dreams) with more earthy concerns (examination of political and sexual issues). The rest of the annotation provides supportive details about the approach (allegorical excursions, possibly fantasized; post-atomic age of the far future) and the contrast (the entire third sen­tence). The plot is alluded to only in an aside about time and place. This book is not about plot. Malice Domestic by Mollie Hardwick Annotation: The coming of forbidding Leonard Mumbray to the peaceful English village of Abbotsbourne seems to cast an evil spell. Pretty antique-store proprietor Doran Fairweather feels it, as does local vicar Rodney Chelmarsh, a widower with whom she has a budding romance. When Mumbray is found murdered, there is a collective sigh of relief. But Fairweather, a nosy type, is unable to rest until she finds the killer. Comment: Again, a fine first sentence, in this case filled with foreboding. The second sentence intro­duces the main characters, in connection with the attitude already indicated. The third sentence also deals with attitude, this time that of the whole peace­ful English village. The final sentence sets the plot in motion. (7) (8) (9) The Panic of ’89 by Paul Erdman Annotation: It is late 1988, and eminent econo­mist Paul Mayer contemplates a grim future. The second lucky term of Ronald Reagan—blameless and unworried during his last days in office—is about to end, leaving a very troubled world economy in its wake. As the stock market drops out of sight, Mayer must race against time and adversaries to save international banking from total chaos. Strong lan­guage and descriptions of sex. Bestseller. Comment: A suspense novel featuring an unlikely hero, introduced in the first sentence along with the date and a hint at the problem. The rest of the anno­tation continues to set up the situation and the con­flict. The Rose in My Garden by Arnold Lobel Annotation: A story in rhyme about the many kinds of flowers that grow near the hollyhocks that give shade to the bee that sleeps on the only rose in the garden. For grades K-3. 1984. Comment: The single run-on sentence, which would not be good for most books, echoes the prem­ise of this one: that all these things are together in the garden and doing something for each other. Lightning: An 87th Precinct Novel by Ed McBain Annotation: A series of grotesque crimes confronts the officers of the 87th Precinct. First, two women track stars are found hanging, lynch-mob style, from the lampposts of brilliantly lit city streets; then a rapist stalks an increasing number of victims. Gutsy Eileen Burke, an undercover officer in Special Forces, undertakes a key role in catching the maniac. Some strong language. (10) (11) Comment: Another in a popular series of police procedurals; all many readers will need is the subti­tle identifying the series. The annotation lays out the subject, two types of crimes against women, and the featured detective, also a woman. It catches the fla­vor with adjectives such as grotesque followed by the most visible image of women hanging, lynch-mob style, from the lampposts of brilliantly lit city streets, which is juxtaposed with the dark, stealthy image of a rapist stalking. Maiden Voyage by Graham Masterton Annotation: In 1924 the SS Arcadia, the greatest luxury liner ever built, is on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York. Among her passengers is twenty-one-year-old Catriona, flapper of the seas and heiress to the vessel. Dramatic adventures occur in rapid succession against a backdrop of wild love affairs, financial intrigues, and popping champagne corks. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1984. Comment: The annotation is almost entirely set­ting. Time: the Roaring Twenties, which is reinforced by labeling the young, rich protagonist a flapper. Place: a luxury liner crossing the Atlantic. Background: wild love affairs, financial intrigues, popping champagne corks. What happens? dramatic adventures and in rapid succession too. The reader doesn’t need to know more. The Downing Street Years by Margaret Thatcher Annotation: Memoirs of the grocer’s daughter who became prime minister of Great Britain. Thatcher recounts her political life, beginning with the day the Conservatives gained a majority in the House of Commons and she, as head of the party, was asked to form a new government. She speaks General approaches • Fiction candidly of the members of her cabinet, her contacts with foreign leaders, her efforts to reform the Tories, her pursuits of national interests, and her last days at Number 10. Bestseller. Comment: The first sentence announces the cate­gory (memoirs) and identifies the author from her origins to high office. The next sentence defines the area covered (her political life) and adds information about her party and the British political process. The final sentence adds still more information about the wide range of subjects, both national and internation­al, and about people involved. All three sentences present her voice behind the book (memoirs, Thatcher recounts, she speaks candidly). Annotating a variety of books Different types of books need different approaches for annotations. Some are harder to annotate than others, and some have particular things to include and particular traps to avoid. Most books will fall into a recognizable category and some general approaches will apply. The basic divisions are fiction and nonfiction, and the annotation should make the distinction clear. The annota­tion should be written from different premises for fiction and nonfiction and should sound different as a result. Fiction Give enough information to show the tone of the book, the general plot elements, and the characters involved. Use the language of the annotation to pique the reader’s imagina­tion. Prefer present tense and active voice. Don’t simply summarize the plot, and never disclose the ending. Escapist fiction: westerns, gothics, romances, family sagas, historical novels, adventure stories, science fic­tion, detective and mystery stories, spy stories, and sus­pense. Probably the largest part of the material in our col­ lection, or any general public library collection, falls into these categories. These books are for fun, relaxation, get­ting away. Many of these books are written according to a formula: ¦ Beautiful heroine and handsome hero meet; some­thing or someone keeps them apart for 200 pages; they finally get together (gothics, romances, some historical novels, some mysteries). ¦ Hero and heroine get together in the first chapter and have trouble with their relationship(s) for 300 or more pages (contemporary novels). Popular genres— ¦ Stern, lonesome male struggles against outside forces vary the formula and his own isolation; he eventually wins out (west­ erns, adventures, some historical novels, some sci­ ence fiction). ¦ Someone is murdered; suspects abound; the detec­tive, or other protagonist, must—and will—discover the murderer (mysteries). ¦ Someone (usually the protagonist or a major world figure) is about to be killed. Alternatively, all of civilization is about to be destroyed. Our hero/hero-ine must locate the source of danger and avoid that fate (suspense novels and some science fiction). Such material is among the easiest to annotate. The basic concern is to show what happens or who is involved in this book that makes it different from other books of the same kind. Because the author had the same problem—making this book different in some way—look for his or her plot or character twist and emphasize it. Some fine books have been developed from such formulas; some authorities argue that there are only five or six basic plots and that all fiction is a variation on one of them. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is plotted around what keeps a beautiful heroine and a handsome hero apart; Shane is a Classics— be careful Don’t assume fame lasts western with the stern, lonesome male as its central charac­ter. Both books are generally considered classics—because of what the authors made of the basic plot elements. Annotations for such books should not be simply sum­maries of plot. Do incorporate plot elements, but stress presentation. Classics. Annotations for familiar books, classics both old and new, must be handled carefully. These books are well known and people can feel strongly about the words used to describe their content. Annotation writers need to deter­mine and express the factors that make these books excep­tional. The Glass Menagerie: A Play by Tennessee Williams Annotation: Portrays the remnants of a southern family with pretensions to gentility. The plot centers on the crippled daughter, who lives in her dream world with a symbolic collection of fragile glass, in vivid contrast to the family’s slum apartment. Comment: The background, characters, setting, theme (fantasy vs. reality), and symbolism are there. There is no attempt to summarize the plot, which is not the important element of this play. Note that a book is not necessarily a classic because it is old. Books generally considered classics will not only have been in print and available to several generations of readers but will also have had an impact on the literature that fol­lowed. Minor works by authors of classics may be of inter­est but are not classics in themselves. Bestsellers. Current bestsellers have been widely reviewed and annotated in other sources. The authors are probably promoting their books on the talk-show circuit and are available in the reader’s living room at a flick of the TV switch. Friends and family members may be discussing • Nonfiction Dealing with reality, or an opinion on reality these books. Because readers can make critical compar­isons between what they already know about the book and what the annotation tells them, the bestseller’s annotation should receive careful consideration and be as full, accu­rate, and interesting as possible. Just as for other books, however, the annotation will outlive the book’s bestseller status, and writers should not assume that patrons will later instantly recognize the contents. Particularly for nonfiction books of timely interest, writers must make sure the subject matter is clearly identified. For example, readers who avidly followed the O.J. Simpson murder trial will probably easily place the lawyers for both sides who have written books on their version of events, but the annotation should spell out what the trial was about and the particular point of view of the author. The material will not be so familiar a decade after the event. Nonfiction The language or the annotation should make clear immedi­ately that the content is either factual or a commentary on actual events. Avoid using the story of, which suggests fic­tion even though colloquially that phrase is also used to describe nonfiction. Magnetic North: A Trek across Canada by David Halsey Sentence: Tells the story of a twenty-year-old inexperienced camper who set out from Vancouver in 1977 to traverse the wilderness to the other coast. Rewritten: Recounts the adventures of… Note that the simple change not only indicates that the events described are real but uses, appropriately, much more active words. Biographies and memoirs. Such books are primarily non­fiction, but occasionally a novel can be a thinly disguised memoir, and fictionalized biographies are quite common. If the bibliographic information is not sufficiently clear, make Life of... or memorable events sure that the annotation explains that the work is a fiction­alized biography of… or is based on personal experience. For biographies, give the authority of the author when it is relevant. For memoirs, the author’s name can be sufficient authority, but an identifying word or phrase is helpful (actress, salesman, evangelist). Avoid inserting superla­tives; if the person is indeed one of the world’s most famous, he or she doesn’t need such a wordy label. More information is needed for memoirs that are related to a personal experience of an unfamiliar individual. Keep the annotation balanced by summarizing the total approach and scope. Don’t use all the space for back­ground and early years, even though those may be the least familiar areas of the subject’s life, unless that is the empha­sis of the book. Emerson: The Mind on Fire by Robert D. Richardson Annotation: Traces the life and intellectual odyssey of Ralph Waldo Emerson, the nineteenth-century writer, poet, and essayist. Discusses Emerson’s development of the principles of individu­alism, self-reliance, and transcendentalism that have influenced American letters and thought. Richardson chronicles Emerson’s life as student, minister, travel­er, speaker, social activist, good friend, and loyal family man. Comment: The introductory sentence identifies the person of the title and indicates the dual thrust of the book—the course of a man’s life and the exten­sive reach of his mind. The next two sentences expand the first, covering first his thoughts and then his actions. Mental health: professional approaches and popular gurus The Village by Alice Taylor Annotation: Warm remembrances of daily life in the Irish author’s adopted County Cork village. In this sequel to Quench the Lamp (RC 33774), she relates with humor and a bit of wistfulness the changes that married life brought to her and that modern times brought to the village. Comment: The first sentence, which briefly out­lines the author’s background, shows immediately that the events covered are intimate rather than news­worthy. The approach is summed up in warm and with humor and a bit of wistfulness. Psychology and self-help. These books generally cover a particular aspect of mental function and health or present a method for achieving desired attitudes and behavior. Such information forms the body of the annotation. Some back­ground or authority of the author is essential for readers to understand and give weight to the usefulness of the approach for their needs and interests. Often in such works, the author uses familiar words in a specific context or coins phrases to apply to this particular method or conclusion. Such phrases are fundamental to the book and often receive fairly lengthy treatment. In the annotation, they need brief definition, at least parentheti­cally, to define the special meaning. Alternatively, they should be put in quotes to indicate that there is something particular in the way the words are used. Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman Annotation: The New York Times science writer argues that emotional intelligence is as much a factor of success as is the intelligence quotient. And because self-awareness and control of toxic emotions can, he says, be taught, he calls for education to Instructions on doing practical things guide children’s emotional development. He also dis­ cusses ways adults can continue to grow emotionally. Comment: The author’s authority and thesis are laid out in the first sentence. Proposals for action follow. How Good People Make Tough Choices by Rushworth M. Kidder Annotation: The founder of the Institute for Global Ethics and former columnist for the Christian Science Monitor offers guidelines for dealing with ethical dilemmas. Using anecdotes to illustrate con­flicts between truth and loyalty, individual and com­munity, short-term and long-term goals, and justice and mercy, Kidder shows how decisions are made using ends-based, rule-based, or care-based princi­ples. Comment: The first sentence introduces the author and the subject. The next lays out the type of choices dealt with and the author’s method of catego­rizing them. How-to’s and practical guides. The annotation should give an overview of the book’s content and note any back­ground of the author that has a bearing on his expertise. It can be short if the title and subtitle are close to a full expla­nation, but it cannot be omitted because an entry without an annotation appears to be an error. If the book has special sections, indexes, or summaries, the annotation should explain that these are included. Use contains or includes for publications that have separate sections on particular subjects. For content description, it is better to use covers, describes, explains, explores, or an appropriate synonym. • Collections Poetry The Able Gardener: Overcoming Barriers of Age and Physical Limitations by Kathleen Yeomans Annotation: Nurse and gardener Yeomans covers general aspects of gardening while emphasizing adaptive techniques such as using raised beds, back-saving tools, and easy-care plants. For visually impaired gardeners, she suggests designing with plants that are fragrant, textured, edible, or even audible. Contains exercises for gardeners and mail-order sources for plants, seeds, and supplies (includ­ing adaptive tools). Comment: It’s all there: author’s background, gen­eral approach and specifics for the topic, followed by supplementary information. Collections Collections are popular with many readers; they like mate­rial broken into segments that can be read at one sitting. But such fragmentation of material makes it difficult to give an overall picture of the book. There is no space for annotating individual stories, essays, or poems; therefore, the whole collection must be described in general terms, augmented with specifics that can capture interest. Poetry. Books of poetry are probably the most extreme example of fragmented material. They often cover long periods of time in the poet’s thinking and development, many different thoughts with various treatments, and some images and ideas concisely expressed. The nature of the material makes for slow reading, and the concepts are extremely hard to express in a brief annotation. Don’t fall back on vague phrases about love and life that could mean anything and could apply to almost any poetry collection. Be specific. Look for a unifying theme, or sum­marize two or three representative subjects and approaches. Short stories Mention titles that may be familiar or interesting, but offer more than a list. My Alexandria: Poems by Mark Doty Annotation: Doty uses the ancient city as a metaphor for his search for an ideal place of beauty and light. Although he sees demolished buildings, panhandlers, dementia, and mortality, he finds the substance of poetry in a flower garden, in stories in a book, in innocent children, and in the power of hope as in an unopened Advent calendar. Collected Poems 1919–1976 by Allen Tate Annotation: Roughly chronological arrangement of poems written over almost six decades by the classicist and critic. Subjects range through the emo­tion of “Death of Little Boys,” memories of southern boyhood in “The Swimmers,” and reflections on the futility of war in “Ode to the Confederate Dead.” Short stories and essays. These collections have the same problem of fragmentation—too many subjects—although not to the same degree as poetry. In most cases the same solutions and techniques apply: find a unifying theme or list two or three representative ones. Frequently the collec­tion will be built around a theme covered in the title or sub­title, and all that is needed is some explanation or enlarge­ment. Usually, tell how many stories, essays, or articles are included; the number will give the reader some idea of the length of each. When one piece is familiar, be sure to list it. If short stories are interrelated, say so. When different authors are represented, select a few of the most popular for mention. Key West Tales by John Hersey Annotation: Set in Key West, Florida, these fif­teen short stories form a coda to a life of writing that began in World War II. “God’s Hint” is a brief tale about a preacher who spots an offshore wreck in the midst of his Sunday sermon and positions himself to capture the prize. Seven more historical anecdotes follow, alternating with longer contemporary stories. The Mysterious West edited by Tony Hillerman Annotation: One character in this anthology observes that where people live has an influence on how they live and “who and how they choose to kill.” These twenty suspenseful short stories are set in the American West. Authors best known for west­erns are mixed with those known for mysteries, including Marcia Muller, Bill Pronzini, Bill Crider, and Stuart Kaminsky. Some strong language and some violence. The Complete Essays of Montaigne by Michel de Montaigne Annotation: English translations of the sixteenth-century French philosopher’s “essays,” a literary form Montaigne invented to convey his ideas and opinions. His diverse subjects include feelings, the education of children, the custom of wearing clothes, the disadvantage of greatness, evil employed as a means to a good end, the power of the imagination, a lack in administrations, and not communicating one’s glory. Humor. Books intended to evoke a laugh, or at least a smile or two, can be in either the fiction or nonfiction cate­gory. Nonfiction books are most often collections of essays and are subject to the same problems as other collections. Funny stuff— fiction and not Fiction books usually involve odd characters in improbable situations. In either case, the situation should be described, not simply pronounced as funny. There are many types of humor that can be indicated: parody, satire, slapstick, dark. Give examples that evoke the flavor of the book, and use language to intensify the image. Descriptive adjectives are acceptable; judgmental ones are not. A descriptive adjective applies to the author’s intent or approach to the subject; a judgmental adjective tells what the writer thinks about it. The author can intend to be humorous and that term used to describe the approach; how well he or she succeeds in provoking mirth is up to the reader to determine. A Farce to Be Reckoned With by Roger Zelazny and Robert Sheckley Annotation: This comic fantasy features the fox-faced demon Assie Elbub, who hits on the idea of bringing humanity to Evil by staging an immorality play with all of Renaissance Europe as the backdrop. But the meddlesome Archangel Michael, that insuf­ferable agent for Good, arrives on the scene and threatens to close down the play before it ever opens. Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys: A Fairly Short Book by Dave Barry Annotation: According to Barry, this is a book about guys—not a book about men; books about men are too serious. Barry begins with a test to determine the reader’s “guyness” and then gives a brief account of the role of guys in history, their bio­logical nature, their social development, and their special guy problems. For women, there is a chapter on dealing with guys. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. Take special care with warnings • Juvenilia Sex, violence, and strong language. Statements about strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex are hard to apply to collections; they may be needed for only one story or a particular section of the material. Readers who are concerned with avoiding these aspects might be deprived of much they would enjoy if the whole book were given a warning label. In these cases, the infor­mation is better incorporated into the annotation. Sometimes both notations may be needed, with the infor­mation within the description indicating where this material is found. Amen by Yehuda Amichai Annotation: Israeli poet mingles simplicity with directness in poems on the Jewish experience of alienation and the constant threat of war. Collection also contains intense and erotic love poems. Some explicit descriptions of sex. Children’s books Basically, language and construction are the same as for adult books, but vocabulary is simpler. Character names should be used, since they are usually chosen by the author to be appealing. Content should relate to the child’s experi­ence and engage the imagination. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume Annotation: Peter Hatch resigns himself to losing the battle for attention with his two-year-old brother. Little Fudge ruins Peter’s special poster, gets lost at the movies, and eats Peter’s pet turtle. For grades 3-5. Comment: Including some of Fudge’s antics lets a child know exactly what Peter must contend with and hints at humor. A child might be motivated to read the book because he identifies with Peter or because she wants to find out how Peter handles the problem. Hot as an Ice Cube by Philip Balestrino Annotation: Clear text and simple experiments present basic information about heat, which exists in everything—even in ice cubes. For grades K-3. Comment: Strictly speaking, the mention of ice cubes is not essential. The rest of the annotation is pretty dry, however, and the ice cubes add the ironic punch inherent in the title. The Mitten: An Old Ukrainian Folktale by Alvin Tresselt Annotation: On the coldest day of winter, a little boy’s lost mitten becomes the shelter for a mouse, a frog, an owl, a rabbit, a fox, a wolf, a boar, and a bear! For preschool-grade 2. Comment: Naming the animals is a direct appeal to children, most of whom like stories about animals, and it creates wonder about how all the animals crowd into one mitten. Young children like the cumulative effect of long lists of things. Curious George Flies a Kite by Margaret E. Rey Annotation: Curious George tries to fly a big kite one windy day, but the kite pulls the mischievous little monkey way up in the sky! Comment: Children thrill to the switch here—the kite flying the monkey instead of the monkey flying the kite. The idea is both titillating and scary. And of course, they want to know how George gets down. Annotations for older children have the same characteris­tics, but there can be more detail and more information about real people, especially those whose names do not have instant recognition. How I Broke Up with Ernie by R.L. Stine Annotation: Amy has grown tired of her relation­ship with Ernie and just wants out! No one seems to understand why she wants to break up with Ernie, and, worse still, no one seems to accept it. Ernie keeps coming around; her parents welcome his pres­ence; and he even tags along when Amy goes out with Colin, the new guy in her life. For grades 6-9 and older readers. Comment: This situation is familiar to most young people just moving into pairing off, and there doesn’t have to be a reason for it. One person is ready to move on, and the other isn’t. The repetition of Ernie’s name would be too much in most annotations but not in this one; Ernie is always there. Isaac Newton by Douglas McTavish Annotation: Explains how Isaac Newton, best known for his discovery of the laws of movement and gravitation, effectively invented modern science by using methods to test and cross-check scientific theories. The author traces Newton’s life from his birth in England in 1642 through his long years of scientific discoveries that include the laws of light and refraction, the invention of the reflecting tele­scope, and calculus. For grades 4-7 and older read­ers. Comment: Because Newton’s name may not be instantly familiar, the first sentence repeats it and goes on to tie him to his field—science—and explain his preeminence. The remainder of the anno­tation is more specific about what the book covers, including time and place. 24 When and where make a big difference • Nonfiction The title may tell Or the annotation must Time and Place Most annotations need to be anchored in a place and a time frame. Without some allusion to place, the text can be mis­leading; mysteries set in a large American city and in a small English village are likely to have fundamental differ­ences in approach and atmosphere. Indicating that a book is a historical novel cries out for some reference to the time of the action. Nonfiction works, of course, are usually very specific. Nonfiction For some books, the title and subtitle will include this information, and it should not be repeated in the text. Stolen Continents: The Americas through Indian Eyes since 1492 Rising in the West: The True Story of an Okie Family from the Great Depression through the Reagan Years Europe in Our Time: A History, 1945–1992 Moving the Mountain: The Women’s Movement in America since 1960 Some figures or events will be familiar enough to suggest an era without adding a date. Most American readers will instantly place George Washington with the American Revolution, Abraham Lincoln with the Civil War, and Dwight D. Eisenhower with World War II—and thereby identify at least the appropriate century. Napoleon has also lent his name to an era. However, some well-known figures of the distant past probably need dating; not all readers could immediately place the Chinese philosopher Confucius in, or even near, the fifth century B.C. Some more recent figures would benefit from dates, a time span, and even a place. Showa: The Age of Hirohito by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler Annotation: Covers Hirohito’s years as emperor of Japan from 1926, when he was hailed as a god-king, to his death some seventy years later, when he had become a constitutional monarch—a symbol of state as well as a symbol of the profound changes that had taken place during his reign. During this period Japan experienced tremendous industrial-military expansion, World War II, and unparalleled postwar growth. For junior and senior high readers. Comment: This book is intended for young adults. Given what studies keep finding about general knowledge of history and geography in this age group, it is doubtless useful to be specific about the country and the dates as well as who this person was and events in his life. Older people won’t be hurt by a reminder. Queen Victoria: A Portrait by Giles St. Aubyn Annotation: The author of several books on Britain’s royal family, including Edward VII: Prince and King (RC 15046), provides a portrait of the woman who came to the throne in 1837 as an unknown girl and who was, when she died in 1901, mourned by the whole world. St. Aubyn represents Victoria’s development in six distinct stages: princess, young queen, bride, wife, widow, and ruler of a vast empire. Comment: The person portrayed will suggest the last half of the nineteenth century, which is close enough for most references. For a full, lengthy biog­raphy (this book takes six cassettes), more precision is needed. 26 Other nonfiction works can be handled very briefly in the text with phrases denoting the decade or century, refer­ences to well-known historical figures or events, or even specific dates. ¦ life of the late-nineteenth-century novelist ¦ during World War II ¦ with Robert E. Lee at Appomattox ¦ after the Norman invasion of England in 1066 Phrases that work ¦ the British explorer (1630–1675) ¦ political and economic decisions of the 1920s that led to the Great Depression ¦ Jack Benny’s popular radio show of the 30s and 40s moved to television in the 50s. Contemporary works, especially memoirs, usually declare themselves as such by the content but may need a reference to the current decade to retain clarity in the future. For all books, but particularly for nonfiction, phrases that indicate currentness of a book should be avoided. Use specific dates or decades, or tie the annotation to events with a familiar time frame. Avoid such phrases as: ¦ from … to the present ¦ using recently discovered material ¦ new research shows Words to avoid ¦ newly released papers ¦ today’s ¦ in this decade • Fiction About the past Fiction Historical. Historical fiction is the fiction genre that most obviously needs to be firmly rooted in a time and place. It matters in giving substance to the plot elements that the setting is real and tied to a particular location and situation; that the time is in the far past or relatively recent. Some Australian fiction sounds remarkably like an American western if not identified, for the good reason that both are dealing with similar frontier societies. And setting—time and place—can be almost the only thing that differentiates one historical romance from another. The Sheriff of Nottingham by Richard Kluger Annotation: In 1208, English churches are closed because of a clash between King John and Pope Innocent III. Hoping to quell the rebellious clergy, the king sends sheriffs into each shire. Philip Mark goes to Nottingham. A kind-hearted man, Philip is sorely tested when ordered to hang a group of Welsh boys held as hostages. He is also among the justice-seeking men who draw up the Magna Carta. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. Comment: The time, country, and situation are specific, as they need to be to lead up to the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. Because placing this particular sheriff in Nottingham evokes the familiar Robin Hood legends, the annotation has to point out the somewhat later time frame and the considerable difference in this man’s character from Robin Hood’s adversary. Audrey by Mary Johnston Annotation: In early eighteenth-century Virginia, young Haward takes an orphaned girl, Audrey, as his ward but places her care in someone else’s hands. When he next sees Audrey, he is amazed by her Or from the past Old and historical beauty, but unfortunate circumstances turn her against him. Comment: The setting differentiates this book from others of its kind. Change the locale and the names and you have another formula romance. Historical vs. old. Note that there are some traps in deal­ing with what at first glance appears to be historic in nature. The Grapes of Wrath now appears to be set in the past, but John Steinbeck was writing in the 1930s about a situation that was all too real at that time and presenting characters who could have lived his tale. Thomas Hardy used the English countryside and the attitudes of its people as basic elements of his novels, and the novels belong to that time. The annotation should make clear that the book’s subject was contemporary for its author. This can be done through the date at the end, if the writing was long enough ago for the date to attract attention. Generally, it is better to include some time reference in the body of the annotation: Nineteenth-century novel explores First published in 1819 Eighteenth-century comedy of manners Dates, which generally are not included in the examples in this manual, are the last element in NLS annotations and serve to give information about the time the book was writ­ten. (See Dates and time, p. 150.) Historical fiction is not a new form, so annotation writers will also have to deal with some older books, including clas­sics, that are about times that were long past when the book was written. Sir Walter Scott may have invented the form in the nineteenth century; certainly he was an early and prolif­ic practitioner with such classics as Ivanhoe and a host of others. Napoleon’s invasion of Russia happened two gener­ations before Tolstoy’s massive and evocative War and Peace. The American Civil War was only a memory, New but sounding old The time is now, and the place matters Be clear about places although a persistent one, when Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone with the Wind. Both time frames may not need to be spelled out, depending as usual on the content, but make sure the annotation does not cause confusion. An additional difficulty comes in differentiating contempo­rary works set in a previous era and written at least some­what in the style of the era. Regency romances have become a genre in themselves in the past few decades and will probably not be confused with works from that time, even with dust-jacket claims about the author being a suc­cessor to Jane Austen. But novels labeled as Victorian should be by authors of that period; contemporary works with a Victorian setting need to be identified as such. (See Eras, p. 162.) Contemporary settings. As mentioned earlier, the setting adds to the atmosphere of the book and needs to be indicat­ed, at least briefly if incidental and more specifically if it is essential to the tone and situation. A small, sleepy southern town will present a picture quite different from in lower Manhattan or at a Malibu beach. A city name is usually enough, but towns often need states or countries, especially when the place is obscure or has the same name as several other towns. And New York as a name is rarely sufficient by itself; the city and upstate areas are distinctly different. Sometimes adjectives describing a character will also indi­cate the setting. Scotland Yard detective places the setting in England, most probably London. Hollywood starlet cov­ers both a profession and a location. Using the book’s language. Within the book, the setting is doubtless clear and references to places will—and should—be those used in that region. Using the same terms in the annotation will not work unless the setting and the attitude have already been indicated. A reference to the Cape obviously means Cape Cod when the characters are known to be somewhere in Massachusetts, but not other­ Sensitivities— Watch your words carefully • Disabilities People with handicaps are people wise; there are many capes in this country and around the world. Annotation: Tomboy Jessie Warfield and her friend James Wyndham often compete in horse races in 1820s Baltimore, Maryland. James speaks of his English cousins, Marcus and Duchess Wyndham, so when Jessie must flee the colonies, she turns to them for help. Comment: The book does use the term colonies, probably because the English cousins still thought and spoke of the United States that way. But without that context established, writers have to treat Maryland and other parts of the United States, which had achieved independence almost forty years earli­er, in more usual terms. Jessie was fleeing the country. Sensitivities Word choices can say much about attitudes, and annota­tions should be free of the annotation writer’s attitudes. The author’s attitudes are another matter; points of view should be both noted and attributed. The following situations can present problems. Disabilities Because the audience for NLS annotations is, by definition and statute, made up of people who have a visual or physi­cal disability, the book collection offers many titles on or about disabilities. Annotation writers must take great care not to stereotype or depict people with disabilities nega­tively or as objects of pity. So should all writers, but we in particular want to set a standard of writing without even a hint of condescension. Several organizations working in the field of disabilities produce material about acceptable terminology. Particular phrases change over time, and people concerned with dis­ • Ethnic and race abilities should refer to current lists for information, particu­larly as to approach and attitude. Such suggestions are not necessarily definitive, however; some attempts to be politi­cally correct have been so arcane as to be devoid of mean­ing. Judgment is needed. In general, NLS writers always try to think in terms of peo­ple rather than conditions. Thus, we use phrases such as people with cerebral palsy rather than the cerebral palsied, and blind individuals rather than the blind. Never use words or phrases like afflicted with (which evokes pity), or the victim of (which indicates some kind of intention). And wheelchair users are not confined by their method of locomotion but rather given the ability to move. Be specific whenever possible (the person has a particular condition), and avoid characterizations and implied judg­ments. Crippled implies complete dysfunction and has no place in an annotation for nonfiction titles; it might some­times be appropriate for a fiction work where the physical condition is symbolic of an emotional state or an attitude. Ethnic and racial designations We try, as much as possible, to use terms that reflect the preferences of the group involved. These terms also tend to change over time, often by design of the group members themselves, to emphasize a particular aspect of their back­ground or an attitude toward it. Thus, African American is the current term for Americans of African descent, but some annotations for books in the collection reflect the time when they were written by their use of Afro-American, black, Negro, and even colored. These terms should be updated to current usage when such titles are reissued or when older material is listed in subject bibliographies. Note that black is still acceptable and useful, especially when referring to communities or neighborhoods; the other terms listed above are not, except on rare occasions when needed for historical context. Don’t create anachronisms Don’t hyphenate people In general, we use Native American to refer to the indige­nous people of the whole Western Hemisphere, and more particularly those of Canada and the United States. That does not mean, however, that the word Indian has vanished from our vocabulary or theirs. Those peoples in Mexico and further south are often still referred to as Indians in their own countries and therefore often in material about those countries. Also, references to specific groups some­times need the word Indian, as in Delaware Indians, where changing the term to Native Americans would be both his­torically inaccurate and linguistically forced. For groups where the designation is appropriate, the term nation is desirable: the Sioux Nation, for example. This term does not, however, apply to subgroups within a nation or smaller groups that were never affiliated with others; these can always be identified by name. Indian should usually be preferred to Native American in annotations for classics; James Fenimore Cooper was not writing about the French and Native American Wars, and his attitude and approach are distorted by applying modern terms to a historical context. NLS follows Chicago (The Chicago Manual of Style, Fourteenth Edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993), which calls for leaving ethnic designations followed by American open (no hyphens), both as adjectives and nouns: African American, Italian American, Japanese American. It is not always necessary to use the full term, however, if the context makes it clear that a community in this country and not overseas is being discussed. If the annotation places the setting in a section of Boston largely occupied by people of Irish extraction, the reader is not going to be misled into thinking that Irish means people in Ireland. Jewish is generally used as a religious designation and not followed by American, even though the term also has eth­nic connotations. • Gender Watch word choices Hispanic can be used for all groups from a Spanish-speak-ing background, although some groups immigrating to the United States or with ancestors from western hemisphere countries are endorsing Latino as the preferred term, since the connection with Spain is several centuries old and by conquest to boot. Needless to say, terms considered derogatory have no place in an annotation. If a biased attitude is a major aspect of the book, readers can be informed of the content without the use of inflammatory language. Gender Avoid using gender-specific words to encompass both sexes. Human can usually be used in some form for words like mankind or man’s, and both sexes are people. The con­text will suggest other possibilities. Most gender-specific words for occupations are rapidly dis­appearing from the language, partly in response to civil-rights protests and partly to reflect reality, as women con­tinue to enter many occupations that were once dominated by men. Often the word has simply been truncated to remove a male suffix or changed to reflect the activity; thus, policemen become police, workmen become workers, mailmen become letter carriers. In many cases, one desig­nation encompasses both sexes, and most of the “ess” suf­fixes to indicate a female practitioner of a craft have for practical purposes ceased to exist. Poetess, always slightly archaic in sound, is never seen, and even actress is used primarily where a distinction needs to be made, as for awards and the like; collectively, people whose profession is acting call themselves actors. Pronouns can lead to considerable difficulty. Don’t use he or his for both sexes; if a singular is called for, use he or she or his or her. Sometimes indefinite pronouns such as anyone or everybody can be used, but these can lead to a reappearance of the problem in a later clause that refers Watch your attitude • Lifestyle Don’t be evasive back to the singular subject and leaves the writer again reaching for a way around he or his. Using the plural form after this construction is not acceptable to NLS, even though it is often done elsewhere. The easiest solution, when possible, is to use the nonspecific they (or a plural noun) to begin with, followed by the plural form of a verb and plural references thereafter. All of these guidelines concern language and usage, but some more subtle practices can also relegate women to a secondary position. Books by or about a man and a woman should indicate an occupation or characteristic for both, not just for the man. The phrase wife of, by itself, is insuffi­cient and demeaning, especially when applied to coauthors or subjects of a dual biography; both people must be credit­ed for their activities and achievements. Likewise, referring to male characters by their last names and female charac­ters by their first names indicates that the women are some­how less important or less worthy of respect. The type of book will determine whether first or last names are used, but the sexes should be treated evenhandedly. Even the choice of descriptive adjectives can contain not-so-subtle put-downs: all denoting vigorous and powerful for the men and vapid and voluptuous for the women. Lifestyle More and more books are featuring characters with nontra­ditional family arrangements and lifestyles, not surprising­ly, as these situations become more common and more openly discussed in our society. Descriptions of this materi­al should let the reader know what to expect, just as in descriptions of any other kind of book. If the annotation depicts a tender love story, the reader will assume two sweet young people of different sexes unless told other­wise, either directly (homosexual, lesbian) or by sentences that feature men or women together. This practice does not mean that the sexual orientation of all characters has to be listed any more than does other descriptive information, but Judgments— best left to the reader features bearing on motivation or the direction of the plot should be clear. Judgments One of the fundamentals of annotation writing is to avoid judgments. This concept can be difficult for people who are accustomed to reading book reviews. Reviews are supposed to give opinions; that is their function. Reviews in publica­tions like Library Journal not only give opinions but rec­ommend books for general collections or for specific types of libraries and clientele; these reviews help librarians in buying books for their collections. Selection in these cases means choosing where to expend funds, and advice can be useful. The purpose of an annotation is different. The book has already been selected—and deemed worthy of inclusion in the collection—according to a carefully written policy designed to provide many books of interest to the majority of readers and something in all fields for readers with par­ticular interests. In that sense, it has already been judged to be good. The annotation is there to help an individual read­er decide if this particular book is one he or she would want to read. The decision is up to the reader; the annota­tion gives information for making that choice. There are two strong reasons for avoiding judgments. One is credibility. It is not unusual for people reading a book because of a recommendation to find that they disagree, sometimes strongly. People react to books in different ways, and a reader may react to the same book differently at various times. After a few experiences with following someone else’s opinion and being disappointed, the reader can easily mistrust information that is supposed to be helpful. A second reason for avoiding judgments is that they often appear as condescending. (See Sensitivities, p. 31.) Most blind people have experienced the degrading attitude that Taglines are content information their blindness makes them inferior and renders them somehow incapable of making their own judgments and decisions. They surely do not want that kind of negative thinking reflected in information they receive about books produced specifically for them by a service that should be well aware of this issue. Taglines—sex, violence, and strong language Information on the existence of strong language, violence, and sex is available to library patrons who can handle print books, either through summaries on book jackets or by skimming through the pages. These elements are frequently more vivid in spoken than in written form and can disturb some readers. Because our readers cannot sample the con­tent before ordering the book, they need to be made aware of the presence of these elements. These phrases are not considered judgmental; they simply contain information for readers similar to information con­veyed in the other parts of the annotation. It is up to the reader to determine whether he or she wishes to read the book, or if such content has any bearing on that decision. Neither are these taglines a form of censorship, as has sometimes been suggested. The books are available for any reader who wishes to order them. It would be censorship to delete the passages or to decide not to produce the books in recorded or braille formats because they contain offensive elements, rather than to follow general selection guidelines for the approximately two thousand titles that can be pro­duced each year from the more than sixty thousand titles listed in Books in Print. (For specific use of taglines, see p. 155.) Planning an annotation Study—planning begins with learning • Sources include... Writers can’t just plunge in and write something; they have to know where they are going and why. Creating a good annotation takes thinking and planning. There are five steps, which will take varying amounts of time depending on the content of each book. Study what the book is about. Select information to include. Structure the order of presentation. Determine an appropriate length. Choose a writing style to fit the book. Note: the actual writing will come last! Study what the book is about Sources A multitude of sources exist for information that could be used in an annotation. These include prepublication announcements; reviews in newspapers, magazines, and professional journals; listings in book digests and similar reference material; the book jacket, table of contents, and index; and the text of the book itself. These materials have varying degrees of usefulness, depending on the nature, importance, and publication date of the book. Don’t plan or write anything until all sources have been consulted! Reviews—but watch out Announcements and reviews. Some of the information in prepublication announcements can be useful. The primary sources for such reviews are Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Review, trade magazines that describe books soon to be published and give information about promotional cam­paigns that could influence demand. These reviews are intended for the professional who selects books for a collection. They are not designed to be totally objective about the worth of a book, but instead to alert librarians, booksellers, and other people involved in book selection as to what may be in demand. They contain basic information about the book’s content, opinions as to its value, estimates of its potential sales, and suitability for general or specialized collections. For example: ¦ This book is not up to the author’s previous stan­dards but might sell on the strength of the last hit. ¦ potential hit ¦ among the most specious of the proliferating publi­cations supposed to offer advice to casualties of the sexual revolution Specific information cited in a prepublication review can differ from details in the published version. Publishers sometimes change the name of a character, add or remove a subtitle, and even change the title between sending out advance copies for review and going to press. Critical reviews become available upon or soon after publi­cation; Library Journal, Book List, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post Book World, and the New York Times Book Review are usual references. Reviews from these sources are for the most part signed articles that indicate the background of the reviewer and the basis for his or her opinions. Library Journal reviewers for nonfiction tend to be college faculty or specialists working in the subject area of the book; for fiction they are usually librarians. Book List primarily uses its own editorial staff for reviews. The Digests— for retrospective selections Book jackets— meant to entice New York Times often uses reviewers who have written books on similar subjects, or big-name personalities. Critical reviews are a valuable source of information, but using them requires careful selection of material to trans­mit to the reader. Information gleaned from reviews must be facts and content, not opinion. Reviews are expected to contain judgments; annotations are not. Book digests. Reference material of this kind is not sufficiently timely to cover current books, but for older selections such digests can be most helpful. Particularly valuable is Book Review Digest, which gives a brief description of the book and lists several excerpts from critical reviews. The Wilson catalogs also use this format. Digests do sometimes contain errors; be sure they are describing the correct book. Special-interest sources, including both current magazines and cumulative digests, are utilized for some kinds of material, such as books on religion, detective stories, sci­ence fiction, literature, and the like. Book jackets. These summaries are part of the promotion of the book. People browsing through bookstores read them and are tempted into buying (or so the publishers hope). The jackets sometimes contain the best summation of con­tent available anywhere. On the other hand, they sometimes misrepresent content—even characters’ names or spellings—or stress sensational elements. Annotation writ­ers should investigate the content of the book before using any book-jacket information. This information should not be ignored, merely approached warily. Book-jacket information should never be copied for anno­tations, both because it can be suspect and because the information source will be readily apparent to the reader of the book. For recorded books, after the basic opening announcements (title, author, date, length, reader), the first Paperback blurbs— meant to entice quickly The book, the ultimate source—evaluate by skimming • Commondenominators— what the sources indicate thing narrated is the Library of Congress annotation, immediately followed by “from the book jacket.” Oops! Cribbing from the book jacket makes nonsense of calling this a Library of Congress annotation. Paperbacks. Information on the backs of paperbacks is even more suspect than book-jacket information. These books are sold everywhere—newsstands, drugstores, super-markets—and the publishers want pictures, colors, and words that will catch the attention of a potential buyer who came in to do the weekly shopping or wanted to grab something to read on the bus. The teasers on the backs of paperbacks often have only a remote kinship with the book’s contents; they are generally useless for writing annotations. If the content summary is the only information available, tread warily in using the same words or exact phrases. Generally, the thrust of the book can be indicated without specific plot details. And that content summary will proba­bly be treated on the recording as information from the book jacket and read in its entirety. The book. It would not be cost-effective or practical to read every word of every book before writing an annota­tion. But books do have to be skimmed for content and tone of writing. For nonfiction, the table of contents, intro­ductions, and postscripts are good guides. All books have to be checked carefully for sex, strong language, and violence. Finding common denominators Information from all these sources should indicate common elements. If two reviews and the book jacket say that the book is a futuristic science fiction novel, then the book is most likely to be a futuristic science fiction novel. Such fundamental information should set the tone for the annota­tion. Select • Determine basiccontent Isolated points of interest or background facts that one reviewer picks out—but go unmentioned anywhere else— are unlikely to be the main emphasis of the book; these should probably be discounted for use in the annotation. When all this information is considered together, the main idea of the book should be clear. Details on subject, author, theme, plot, setting, and characters can then be selected to flesh out the annotation. Using well-written phrases from any of these sources is tempting; it’s a shame to let good words go to waste. But this procedure is reasonable only if these phrases truly describe the book, deserve emphasis, and fit together. A cut-and-paste job of words lifted out of context can be mis-leading—or convey no meaning at all. Select what to include Content is fundamental A properly written annotation should quickly clue readers to the type of book and its general purpose or approach, leading them to read further if they are interested in this type of material. A misleading annotation may cause a reader to ignore a book that he or she would enjoy—a loss to the reader. Or a misleading annotation may lead to selec­tion of a book that disappoints, making the reader wary about future selections. Either way, the annotation fails in its purpose. First consider the type of book: light reading for pleasure practical or how-to guide overview of or introduction to a particular subject in-depth study fiction with a serious theme. • List (facts) Your notes, unadorned Six questions These five categories encompass most of the books for which annotations have to be written. Some types of mate­rial are not listed, and some books escape categorization. Annotation writers have to be flexible. Annotations for books in the first three categories are gen­erally easier to write: their purpose is simple, their con­struction is rarely complex, and their message is straight­forward. Plan to spend more thought—and more time—on the last two categories. Jot down notes about the book Don’t arrange them, just make a list. Use the book to verify that names, dates, and places are accurate and correctly spelled. Don’t adorn the information; language comes later. Notes should cover what is necessary or important about the particular book. They will vary, depending on the type of book. What should be included in the annotation will vary, depending on the category. Notes should cover answers to these questions: Who is essential to this book? What is it about? When does it take place? Where is it set? How is the subject developed? Why was it written or is it useful? These are the six questions drummed into reporters, with a slight revision of emphasis because of the difference in purpose. How does not always need to be answered for a news article; but for books, and therefore annotations, how the author develops his or her idea is what makes one book different from another. • Structure notes Rank order • Determine length These questions contain the raw material from which anno­tations are made, even if they do not all have to be answered for every book. Every one should be considered for notes, and some should be selected for the annotation. Structure what is to be presented Structured notes will help the writer build the annotation properly, usually from the general to the specific. They should identify what must be included and ensure that equal concepts are given equal weight. Structuring will pre­vent omitting the point of the book, distorting the empha­sis, or developing one aspect to the exclusion or subordina­tion of others that are equally important. The annotation should explain or indicate the book’s major emphasis include essential but secondary information provide supportive detail for interest. Number notes (1), (2), or (3) according to whether facts are major, secondary, or supportive. Many items are sup­portive details and can be numbered (3); some are essen­tial but secondary and can be numbered (2); only one is a major emphasis, although there can be two items under this heading if there is a premise and a conclusion. These three categories are enough. Too many groupings and subgroupings are time consuming and will result in an overly complex annotation. Determine an appropriate length NLS uses a computer system to track titles through the production cycle from selection through shipment of the braille or recorded versions to network libraries for circula­tion to readers. The screens for this system were planned to limit the length of each entry to what would fit on the copy-allotment cards for network libraries and bookcards Long titles then in use, automatically adjusting the space for the anno­tation to accommodate a long title or a subtitle, which could also be long. Therefore, the average annotation was limited to about fifty words. Because long titles or subtitles usually contain information that would otherwise be included in the annotation, a shorter annotation for those books should not be a loss to the reader. The Innocents Abroad; or, The New Pilgrim’s Progress; Being Some Account of the Steamship Quaker City’s Pleasure Excursion to Europe and the Holy Land, with Description of Countries, Nations, Incidents, and Adventures, as They Appeared to the Author by Mark Twain Annotation: A satiric account of a voyage through the Mediterranean and travel in the bordering coun­tries, and a classic study of the differences between Americans and Europeans. 1869. Comment: nonfiction classic, and Twain had fun with the title Journal of the Gun Years: Being Choice Selections from the Authentic, Never-Before-Printed Diary of the Famous Gunfighter-Lawman Clay Halser! Whose Deeds of Daring Made His Name a Byword of Terror in the Southwest between the Years of 1866 and 1876! by Richard Matheson Annotation: Multicareered Clay Halser’s talent with a gun was the stuff of legends. After Halser dies, his journal is discovered. It describes the mortal behind the myth. Violence and some descriptions of sex. Comment: A western written in 1991. The title is a take-off on the long journal titles popular in the mid-1800s. The author had fun with the exclamation points, too. When a few words are enough In many cases, a brief annotation is all that is needed, and there is no need to fill the space just because it is there. Some books can be described with great accuracy in one short, direct statement. In particular, children’s books, familiar references, and how-to books often need only a few carefully chosen words. Galloway by Louis L’Amour Annotation: Flagan Sackett finds himself a fugi­tive in the mountains with only his wits as defense against the Apache warriors and the hungry wolves stalking him. Comment: The protagonist, the setting, and the conflict are laid out in one sentence. This informa­tion is surely enough to entice readers of westerns, if the author’s name has not done that already. Yes, the plot could probably be explained more fully, but to what purpose? The Scott, Foresman Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised by Henry R. Robert Annotation: First published in 1876, this manual of parliamentary procedure serves as the country’s rec­ognized guide to running and taking effective part in meetings. Revised and modernized. Comment: Classic reference work, as the title and the annotation state. That’s enough. Hitler’s Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen Annotation: Makes the case that the perpetrators of the Jewish genocide were ordinary Germans driv­en by anti-Semitism and not just military officers and Nazi Party members. Bestseller. Choose appropriate writing style Comment: One sentence lays out the author’s the­sis succinctly. For elaboration of how he reached that controversial conclusion, read the book. Note that a few of the examples provided in this manual exceed the fifty-word precept. In general, these annotations were included in the 1979 edition, before the advent of the current computer system and the explosion in printing costs. These annotations have been retained because the points they illustrate are still valid, even though current writers would aim for something shorter. As shown in the previous examples, much shorter is sometimes quite enough. Say what’s needed and then stop, rather than strive to fill whatever space is provided. Choose a writing style to fit the book Consider and convey the author’s intent and the mood of the book. A serious study should not sound like a light novel; a light novel should not sound like a philosophical treatise. The tone should enhance the description. The Hawkline Monster: A Gothic Western by Richard Brautigan Annotation: Romp through a surrealistic world. A young Indian girl wanders into the wrong brothel looking for the right man to kill the monster that lives in the ice caves under the basement of an old house. Comment: The annotation is almost as surrealistic as the world of the novel. All those phrases would be too much for most books; they are right for this one. The Human Pedigree by Anthony Smith Annotation: A British science reporter confronts the complex medical, legal, and political problems of genetic engineering. He considers such moral ques­tions as whether people with defective genes should marry and whether seriously defective infants should live. Comment: Straightforward treatment of a difficult subject with many ramifications. The author’s back­ground is given immediately, and confronts is an excellent choice for the main verb. Writing—the last step Now write Get to the point Finally, it’s time to turn all that preparation into an annota­tion. Using the preliminary notes— get to the point choose appropriate language vary sentence structure be specific and concise watch grammar and punctuation adhere to style While the planning steps are basically consecutive, the elements that make up writing are incorporated largely simultaneously. As soon as you begin writing, language, sentence structure, grammar, and style come into play. That does not mean every sentence or every word will be exactly what is needed on the first draft. The general approach needs to be achieved first and then more attention paid to specific details. But choice of language and how to use it are there from the beginning. The elements are separated here to focus on some fundamentals and considerations. Get to the point A strong first sentence sums up or indicates the main emphasis of the book. Supportive details follow. Edward VIII by Frances Donaldson Annotation: Lady Donaldson suggests that Edward VIII’s abdication to marry Mrs. Simpson was a willful abandonment of the throne rather than a noble sacrifice. The eldest son of King George V is • The first sentence sets the tone portrayed as a tragic personality, the victim of his own flawed character and judgment. Comment: The opening sentence presents the author’s thesis. The second develops it. While active voice is generally preferable, the second sentence works in passive voice with some supporting infor­mation on either side of the verb. Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany Annotation: As the sun grows deadly, the world goes mad. Society perishes, savagery rules, and all that was known is over. In these dying days of Earth, a young drifter enters the city. Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language, and violence. Comment: The opening sentence presents the situa­tion and sets the mood. The second adds details, opposing the concepts of society and savagery. The concluding sentence inserts a person into the setting, implying that something is about to happen and enticing the reader to find out what that is. The warning tags indicate that the action may not be to everyone’s taste. That vital first sentence The opening sentence lets the reader know immediately what this book is about. For nonfiction, the information could include the author’s premise or approach, the time period covered, a succinct introduction to the subject matter, a brief statement of the author’s credentials, or whatever else is essential to the particular book. Note that the statement must indicate something about the book, not just about the person or situation covered in the book. For fiction, the first sentence should capture the mood, and could introduce the major character(s), set the plot in motion, or anchor the book in place and time, along with • Good Get to the point leading the reader into the next sentence for more informa­tion. Sometimes it needs to state the nature of the book, usually for genres that are hard to depict through plot and mood. Not all these elements should be included in every first sentence; the writer must select what is essential to this book. Remember that some information has already appeared in the title. Good starts Obviously there can be as many good beginnings as there are books being annotated. Fragments of the Ark by Lousie Meriwether First sentence: Peter Mango has been a slave all his life. Comment: Identifies the protagonist and his situa­tion, and at the same time implies that something is about to happen to change things. Next Time, She’ll Be Dead: Battering and How to Stop It by Ann Jones First sentence: A study of the institutions and atti­tudes that foster the problem of domestic violence in America. Comment: Straightforward exposition about what the book contains. There are five useful nouns (study, institutions, attitudes, problem, violence) and a well-chosen verb that has the sense of giving aid to a situation that should be halted, not encouraged. The Last Integrationist by Jake Lamar First sentence: A political tale set in a racially divided America. Comment: Both the genre and the subject are hint­ed at in the title. The explanatory opening sentence clarifies the direction of the novel, leading to plot elements to follow. Always try to get directly to the author’s approach for nonfiction books. Some possibilities include: ¦ A behind-the-scenes look ¦ Reminiscences about ¦ A personal and political discussion ¦ Interviews with [whomever] demonstrate ¦ An investigative reporter examines ¦ A discursive, detailed biography ¦ Techno-thriller author Tom Clancy provides an in-depth look ¦ A multifaceted reflection on ¦ Williams ponders ¦ Explanation of ¦ The authors’ architectural engineering backgrounds and personal experience inform their descriptions of earthquakes and volcanos. ¦ The authors define ¦ The authors discuss ¦ The author highlights ¦ The authors assert ¦ The author focuses ¦ The author tells how ¦ The author describes ¦ Richards outlines the life of ¦ Traces ¦ More than two hundred [people] contributed their recollections to ¦ A broad survey ¦ According to two proponents of Darwinian medi­cine, the body is a bundle of compromises ¦ Literary biography of ¦ Literary notable remembers ¦ A musicologist’s documented account ¦ Sociology professor criticizes ¦ Myers states he does not possess final answers to the mysteries of well-being ¦ A reporter’s account of ¦ Presents frank views ¦ Critical biography of ¦ Opposed to manipulating people by interfering with their decision-making processes, … 54 • Trouble Watch out for these approaches Don’t ignore the book. Annotations are about books, not about the people profiled or the conflict covered. The first sentence for a nonfiction book should always indicate what the book is about (life of, discusses, covers), not what the subject did, why he or she did it, or how the author became interested. This problem is particularly prevalent with biographies. What’s in the book? More pitfalls The author’s motivation is secondary, or even unnecessary Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull Annotation: African American Wilma Rudolph weighed only four pounds when she was born in 1940, and she had nineteen older brothers and sis­ters. Childhood polio left her leg paralyzed, but Wilma exercised until she not only walked but became an Olympic gold medal runner. For grades 2-4. Problem: Needs an introductory sentence stating that the book tells how the person profiled sur­mounted many difficulties to become an Olympic gold medal winner. The details listed should intrigue children, but they are supportive information rather than the starting point. Little Girl Fly Away by Gene Stone Annotation: For four years Ruth Finley said she was stalked by a man who, on different occasions, kidnapped her, stabbed her, harassed her by phone, and wrote her evil poetry. The Poet eluded Wichita police until the chief, who had not met Ruth, read the voluminous file and solved the case by surveil­lance: Ruth was stalking herself. After five years of psychoanalytic therapy, Ruth was able to understand why. Strong language and some violence. Problem: We have a lengthy annotation about the case, its solution, and even the outcome for the per­petrator. There’s nothing anywhere about the book, which can only be presumed to present this informa­tion somehow. Don’t concentrate just on background. This problem is another common aspect of ignoring the book. An annota­tion should cover the approach of the book, not explain how the author happened to write it. These facts can be included as supportive details if pertinent, but the first sentence should always indicate that there is a book. Schoolgirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap by Peggy Orenstein Annotation: When journalist Orenstein read the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) 1990 study that told of widespread low self-esteem in young girls, she wanted to learn about the people and the stories behind the statistics. With the support of AAUW, she spent a year observing this trait in eighth-grade girls from two California schools, chosen to reflect the system-wide division by race and economic class. Problem: It’s all background. Not only is there no book, there’s no substance about any findings from the study. Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel García Márquez First sentence: In 1949, the author was instructed by his newspaper editor to go to the old convent of Santa Clara on the Caribbean coast and see if he could come up with a story about the emptying of their burial crypts prior to building a hotel. Problem: More than half of the allotted fifty words have been used, and we have no information about what is in the book. The opening sentence or two should be devoted to setting, characters, and story line of a fiction book. If there is space, background information could be added briefly: This novel was inspired by a 1949 visit… Readers might be intrigued to learn that a 1995 bestseller was based on an experience almost half a century earlier—but only if they first had some reason to become interested in the book. 57 The title says it Don’t repeat title information. Use the annotation to give new information; limited space shouldn’t be used to repeat what can be learned from the title and subtitle. Repetition is dull in print, wasteful in braille, and deadly when recorded. Rebecca West: A Celebration by Rebecca West First sentence: Selections from the works of Dame Rebecca West. Comment: The author’s name already appears twice in the bibliographic material; a third appear­ance in the annotation is both unnecessary and bor­ing. The Misbegotten Son: A Serial Killer and His Victims; the True Story of Arthur J. Shawcross by Jack Olsen First sentence: Reconstruction of crimes commit­ted by Arthur John Shawcross. Comment: All that is in the lengthy subtitle. The first sentence should be used to tell how many mur­ders, over what period of time, how grizzly or inex­plicable, how long it took for him to be discovered— anything that is more than what is already stated. Is there something in his family background to explain the title? Many works of nonfiction are quite specific in the title and subtitle about the subject covered and the time. Obviously, then, these facts do not need to be included in the annota­tion. Instead, the first sentence should focus on other ele­ments, possibly a fuller explanation of who the subject is, what he or she accomplished or is known for, the approach or credentials of the author, or how this book differs from others on the subject. Repetition is rarely a problem with fiction titles. Don’t creep up on the real words Avoid Avoid wordy opening phrases. It’s superfluous to start with a book about; the reader knows that it is a book about something. Moreover, such an opening phrase almost insists that the writer add descriptive adjectives about the book, and these can too easily become judgmental. Instead, go directly to the content: someone doing something. Wordy: Warm, sympathetic story of the seven rest­less and ambitious children of a pre-depression Jewish immigrant family as they pursue power and wealth. Direct: Seven restless and ambitious children of a pre-depression Jewish family pursue power and wealth. Beware of such phrases as: ¦ The story of ¦ Here is a story of ¦ This is a horror story about ¦ This novel chronicles ¦ This little book is made up of ¦ Here in his own words is a story of ¦ Author’s account of ¦ This novel concerns ¦ An intriguing novel in which (also a value judgment) ¦ A touching, funny novel (two value judgments) ¦ Gothic/historical/science fiction/western/contempo-rary/mystery/suspense novel that The annotation usually should start with the information that comes after such phrases. Spell out the genre only if it isn’t obvious. The annotation’s tone and content are the best means for conveying the type of book. The reader can tell that it’s a historical novel if the time period and setting are given; that it’s a gothic novel if the heroine is being pur­sued around a spooky mansion on the edge of a cliff over­looking the moors. Cases where the genre can be in doubt often involve some form of humor where the action depicted is intended to illustrate a point, as in a satire. Here it is preferable to begin with a statement about what is being satirized and use the plot elements for supportive details—which is what they are: the author’s means of making the point. Biting the Wall by J.M. Johnson First sentence: In this satire on academic life, Llew McQuilla is summarily removed from his job as head of computer services at Wilbur Moody College, and his loyal colleagues are determined to learn the reason behind this sudden demotion. Comment: Without the opening phrase, the plot information could be read straight, possibly as the introduction to a serious conspiracy. I Killed Hemingway by William McCranor Henderson First sentence: Satirical thriller about former Hemingway scholar Elliot McGuire, who is asked to ghostwrite the biography of elder Eric “Pappy” Markham. Comment: The opening phrase tells the reader to expect a suspense novel with comic twists. The Ditches of Edison County by Ronald Richard Roberts First sentence: This parody of the bestselling Bridges of Madison County (RC 35861) also features a brief affair between a traveling photographer, 60 There’s a point here somewhere No padding Ronald Concave, and a farmer’s lonely wife, Pancetta Jackson. Comment: The title, with its echoes of the original runaway bestseller and film, announces a takeoff. Identifying the book as a parody reinforces this fact, as does the plot information. The connections may not be so obvious as Bridges fades from memory. Avoid overcrowding. An overcrowded first sentence cannot focus attention on any one point, and readers may get totally confused or lose interest. Overcrowding is bad practice anywhere, but it can be a disaster in the opening sentence. The Terrible Teague Bunch by Gary Jennings Annotation: (1) Comic western (2) set in Texas, (3) at the turn of the century in which (4) four well-intentioned badmen (5) encounter (6) rough obsta­cles and (7) rough luck (8) en route (9) to robbing a train (10) carrying money (11) to a new bank (12) at Teague. Comment: Twelve separate thoughts are stuffed into one sentence. Most of the information is useful and fairly well expressed, but there is too much in one place. Run-on thoughts are a challenge even to the inveterate reader of westerns. Never use throwaways. These are sentences that lead into the information that should be conveyed, but contain no information of their own about the book. They create the impression that the writer didn’t quite know how to get to the point, or was trying to stretch the material and fill up the space. Second sentence builds The Doctor’s Book of Home Remedies: Thousands of Tips and Techniques Anyone Can Use to Heal Everyday Health Problems by Deborah Tkac First sentence: Have you ever wondered what a doctor does when he gets a cold, is plagued with arthritis, snores, or has a stomachache? Comment: The sentence is wasted—words thrown away that could have been used for imparting infor­mation. Readers should not be addressed as you, and what they may have wondered is immaterial. The book does not need a long annotation; the title is quite explicit. Add supportive details The second sentence (and others as necessary) should clarify the introductory sentence if needed, add specifics, identify the conflict, or move the plot along. The type of book and its approach will determine what is needed. Long Ago in France: The Years in Dijon by M.F.K. Fisher Annotation: An account of the years between 1929 and 1931, when the author is introduced to life in France. For her it is a time when practically every­thing is new—marriage, the French language, and culinary interests. Most exciting of all are the people in the cafes, movies, shops, and kitchens and in the pensions she and her husband share with other for­eigners and graduate students in the provincial city of Dijon. Comment: The first sentence is short and straight­forward, showing that the book contains memoirs (an account), clarifying the years encompassed by the long ago of the title, and indicating new experi­ences with introduced to. The details that follow reflect the emerging concerns of the well-known food writer and add color. • Know how to stop Know how to stop The Dutchman by Maan Meyers Annotation: (1) New Amsterdam, 1664. (2) This city of Dutch settlers, Indians, and Jewish merchants is about to be attacked by the British. (3) But Schout (sheriff) Pieter Tonneman has other problems to worry about first. (4) A close friend has apparently killed himself, a Jewish family’s house has been burned, a corpse disappears and reappears, and a lovely Jewish widow has a special interest in him. Strong language and some violence. Comment: (1) A dateline with place and time is a good way to identify a historical work; it saves space and words along with reducing the dependence on prepositional phrases. Like all devices, however, it should not be overused. (2) The first full sentence enlarges on the background and setting and also introduces one plot element. (3) The hero appears in the next sentence, along with indications of more plot complications. (4) Finally, there is an over­whelming series of personal concerns and criminal activities designed to keep a conscientious lawman occupied for quite some time. Note how well the details build. Know how to stop A good paragraph, or a good annotation, should have a beginning, a middle, and an end—but not necessarily in three sentences and not usually revealing the outcome of the book. When there is enough information to lay out the author’s thesis or pique the reader’s interest, there is no need to add more. Particularly with annotations for escapist fiction titles, it is enough to get the protagonists into a situ­ation or dilemma and stir concern about how they will deal with it. The annotation should not, of course, disclose the ending. It also does not need to summarize all the action leading to the conclusion. Don’t tell all Don’t flounder Don’t disclose too much plot. Once the situation has been laid out, trying to encapsulate all of the action can lead to complex, convoluted sentences that confuse rather than enlighten. And too much information can weaken the thrust, leaving the annotation to trail off, rather than end on an interesting note. Seasons of the Heart RC 24280 by Cynthia Freeman Annotation: Ann Coulter’s dreams of a happy, prosperous future with her husband, Phillip, a dash­ing, aristocratic lawyer she met at her best friend’s wedding, are shattered by World War II. His intern­ment throughout the war in a Japanese prison camp saps his strength of character. Ann’s determination to improve the family finances by working as a realtor turns her into a millionaire, but the marriage fails. Comment: The first sentence is long and filled with details that seem to lead into a light romance. Since that is not to be the case, the allusion to her best friend’s wedding should be eliminated to con­nect dreams and shattered more directly. The middle section covers a fairly long period of time, with both people facing realities—his very grim and hers of ambition and achievement. Then the whole thing ends abruptly and with finality, leaving very little reason for reading the book. Avoid weak generalizations. The concluding sentence should arouse interest in some way, not trail off into a vague nothingness. This situation can be caused by too much attention to how the author sets up the plot, leaving little space to focus on how it develops. Sound the Trumpet: The Liberty Bell, Book 1 by Gilbert Morris Annotation: When British Daniel and Lyna Bradford lose their mother, going to a workhouse is Don’t question the obvious their only option. Fortunately, they are hired by Lord Rochester to work as indentured servants for five years, and life is good. Then young Leo Rochester makes passes at Lyna, and Daniel fights with him and must leave. Both Daniel and Lyna will endure many hardships before they are reunited in America. Some violence. Problem: Most of the book is encompassed in the vague endure many hardships of the last sentence, which surely is not going to inspire much interest, especially since the tagline indicates violence. This problem occurs mainly because too much attention has been given to details of the opening situation, many of them unnecessary. Going to a workhouse is obviously not their only option, since they didn’t. This annotation could easily begin with a sentence such as “Orphaned siblings Daniel and Lyna are sep­arated after being indentured to Lord Rochester,” leaving more space to lay out something about the action. Don’t pose useless questions. The annotation should not dissolve into meaningless speculation about whether the characters will achieve their purpose. Questions to which the answer is obvious add no information. ¦ Will she make the right choice? Of course she will. It’s a romance novel. ¦ Can they keep the world from going up in flames? You bet. There will be heroics first, however. Will the twins find their mother in all that jungle? Without doubt. Generally, the writer should stop with the sentence that pre­cedes these questions. If the problem has not been set out, as it probably should have been, the situation is much better handled with a statement: Now select words • Verbs for action ¦ She has to determine the right choice for her. ¦ If they fail, the world will go up in flames. ¦ A dense jungle lies between the lost twins and their mother. Questions can be used to good effect, but they should be used sparingly and should not express the obvious. (See Writing—the last step, p. 84.) Choose appropriate language Language is chosen before it is written, even though the two acts may seem to be simultaneous; writers decide what word to use before they write it down. Language for anno­tations should be interesting, appropriate, and nonjudgmen­tal. Words chosen should fulfill two related objectives. They should ¦ transmit specific content ¦ capture the flavor of the book. Every word in an annotation should be valuable. Readers don’t have infinite time or patience to wait for the point to be made; length is a consideration for selection cards and bookcards; space for printing, brailling, and recording annotations is limited. Before selecting words, consider some aspects of language. Verbs Verbs are action words; they describe what happens. Annotations that relate something happening are much more interesting than those that generalize about back­ground or contents. Use active voice for vigor, boldness, and brevity. Choose one tense, preferably present. Alive Dead • Nouns for identity Life after Life by Raymond A. Moody Jr. Annotation: A philosopher-doctor (1) synthesizes the experiences of more than fifty people who (2) have been declared clinically dead and then (2) resuscitated. Their similar accounts (3) suggest to the author existence after death. Comment: (1) Main verb of the sentence—active voice and present tense. The word is well chosen for the act of putting many things together. (2) Verbs for the dependent clause show action before that of the main verb. Words have the precise meaning intended. (3) Main verb of sentence—active voice and present tense. Gives immediacy to the theme of the book, even though the author considered and chose his topic before he began writing. The Romance of Atlantis by Taylor Caldwell Annotation: According to the author, this novel (1) was written when she was twelve and (1) based (2) on her former life in Atlantis. Comment: (1) Compound verb; passive voice, past tense. Creates little interest. (2) Nothing happens in this annotation, although the last phrase and the title hint that something happened in the author’s life or imagination that may be reflected in the book. These two annotations are on similar subjects. The first one creates interest and the other kills it. The difference lies with the care taken in selection of facts and use of verbs to describe them. Nouns Nouns identify who and what. Choose nouns to incorporate as much information as possible, since brevity is a necessity and precision aids interest. Bachelor is better than unmarried man. Nouns that incorporate a description convey vitality Use care with through succinctness; they also leave space for adjectives that add more force or new information. The Case of the Glamorous Ghost by Erle Stanley Gardner Annotation: (1) Amnesia, (1) blackmail, and (1) jewel-smuggling provide the (2) background for a (2) murder in which (3) Perry Mason, for once, knows less than the (3) prosecutor. Comment: (1) The sentence has a triple subject; the three nouns sum up the elements of the plot. (2) These two nouns continue to set the scene. (3) These two nouns identify the conflict: the pro­tagonist by well-known name and the antagonist by function. This short annotation uses seven nouns; most of the remaining words provide connections. What more is needed for a Perry Mason mystery? Names. Using proper nouns, names of people and places, requires careful consideration. The foremost concern is accuracy; places and characters should be identified cor­rectly and spellings checked. Obviously, people featured in nonfiction works need to be identified by name and often also by title or function, place, and date. Places are usually essential. Run, River, Run: A Naturalist’s Journey down One of the Great Rivers of the West by Ann Zwinger Annotation: Detailed descriptions of the (4) sights, (4) smells, and (4) sensations of the magnificent (1) Green River from its (2) source in Wyoming to its (2) confluence with the Colorado in Utah. (3) Zwinger covered all (2) 730 miles of the river on (5) foot and by (5) canoe, (5) raft, and (5) plane. Comment: (1) With that title and subtitle, the river has to be named. (2) Further definition is needed— where and how long? (3) The author must be identi­fied as the naturalist of the title; she could have been writing about someone else. (4) Alliterative summa­ tion of sensory phenomena and immediate mood of the book. Note that the descriptive words on content come before the identification of the place—despite the questions raised in the title: What river? Where? (5) Supportive detail completes the picture. Good use of simple nouns throughout. Character names should not be used if they are common; readers don’t gain much information from John and Mary. A descriptive phrase would have the advantage of telling something about the person that relates to development of the plot (New York detective, gun-shy cowboy, heiress to coal-baron’s fortune). On the other hand, familiar charac­ters should always be identified if their names aren’t included in the title information; readers may need to see that this book features Sherlock Holmes or a member of Louis L’Amour’s Sackett family. The Secret Box by Gayle Pearson Annotation: Five interconnected stories about Taylor Finch and her sixteen-year-old brother, Toby, and Lindsay, thirteen, and her brother, Eric, who is also sixteen. In the title story, Taylor receives a secret box for her twelfth birthday, but thinks the thirty-four steps to open it are too much trouble—until she realizes she has some secrets she wants to hide. For grades 4-7. Comment: There is no reason to identify these characters by name. Only one is referred to later in the annotation, and sorting them all out, including ages, produces an awkward sentence without much interest. Rewritten: Five interconnected stories about two girls and their sixteen-year-old brothers. 69 Remember sound Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie Annotation: In this, her last case, Miss Marple warns a charming young couple… Comment: The name is important; mystery fans will want to know which of Agatha Christie’s famous sleuths is featured. Sometimes place or character names add interest: if they suggest a nationality or an ethnic group that is being por­trayed, if they are somehow related to the title, or if they simply sound as if they belong to this character or this book. The Lion’s Paw by D.R. Sherman Annotation: A young bushman in the Kalahari Desert befriends a trapped lion and is caught in a deadly conflict with nature and an obsessed white safari hunter. Comment: The exact place is not absolutely neces­sary; Africa is clearly suggested by the rest of the content. But the unusual nature of the setting and the sound of the word Kalahari add mystery and interest. Don’t forget sound. Note that neither the bushman nor the hunter is named; the description is enough. Chancy by Louis L’Amour Annotation: Young (3) drifter (1) Otis Chancy takes his (2) chances against (3) crooked sheriffs, (3) deadly gunmen, and (3) renegade Indians. Comment: (1) Shows that the title is the name of the hero. (2) A small play on words that should not be overdone. (3) Note the fine parallel use of descriptive adjectives. Names are unnecessary except for the title character. Watch antecedents Exile of the Stars by Andre Norton Annotation: (1) Krip Vorland and (1) Maelen of the free trader ship (1) Lydis are forced to land with a priceless treasure on the (2) supposedly uninhabit­ed planet of (1) Sekhmet. Comment: (1) The unusual names enhance the exotic nature of the subject. (2) Note the hint of things to come in supposedly uninhabited. Sometimes character names are a necessity. If the annota­tion would otherwise dissolve into mysterious pronouns and obscure references, use names—interesting or not— for comprehension. Leave a Message for Willie: A Sharon McCone Mystery By Marcia Muller Annotation: Willie Whelan is a vendor at the Saltflats Flea Market near Brisbane. He also works as a fence—and someone thinks he knows something about some missing Torahs. A man wearing a yar­mulke has been hanging around his stall for about three weeks, and he has asked Sharon McCone to investigate. But Sharon has hardly gotten her investi­gation under way when the man, Jerry Levin, is mur­dered. Comment: Willie’s name is necessary, both to identify the title character and because at least one other man appears in the annotation. All the mascu­line pronouns are meant to refer to Willie, but gram­matically some of them don’t; the antecedent is in one case someone and in another the man wearing the yarmulke, who may or may not be the someone. Willie’s name will have to be used in place of the pronouns or the sentences rewritten. The man’s iden­tity wasn’t known earlier and could be omitted. However, the ethnic name ties him in with the yar­mulke and the missing Torahs, and so adds interest. • Adjectives for dimension To set the tone Be careful to use names consistently within an annotation. Assuming the full name has been given at first reference, generally last names are preferable for the next mention. This practice will not work, however, when the characters are related and two or more have the same last name. And sometimes the first names are the ones that set the tone or provide interest. In any case, don’t use first names for some characters and last names for others. In particular, don’t use strong-sounding surnames for men and frivolous or uninteresting ones for women, even if the book does. (See Sensitivities, p. 34). Adjectives Adjectives describe nouns and are next in importance to nouns and verbs. Their purpose is to refine definition, infuse color, and add dimension to a noun. Some nouns with carefully selected adjectives can almost tell the story: lonely, mute boy + homeless, intelligent mongrel seasoned detective + strange rituals + sinister cult Adjectives set or sum up the tone: ¦ Annotation: Begins with an aged and weary King Arthur (Opening phrase about The Book of Merlyn, by T.H. White, a sequel to The Once and Future King) ¦ Comment: Aged and weary presents a vivid picture; for those familiar with the youthful apprehensions that opened the earlier book, they provide a striking comparison. ¦ Annotation: …flamboyant Richard Coeur de Lion and his exquisite queen (Summing up The Passionate Brood, by Margaret Campbell, a historical novel about the Crusades and the early Plantagenet kings of England.) To add color To judge (no!) ¦ Comment: Flamboyant is appropriate to Richard’s activities and style; exquisite denotes someone dainty and provides contrast. Note how flat the sentence would be without the adjectives. Adjectives add color. April Lady by Georgette Heyer Annotation: Light novel set in Regency England. To help such (1) deserving people as (3) her (2) dashing, debt-ridden brother and (3) her husband’s (2) lovesick young sister, Lady Helen continually tells little white lies. One fib too many puts her marriage in jeopardy. Comment: (1) Deserving people sets up an image that is (2) Immediately counteracted by dashing, debt-ridden brother and lovesick young sister, presenting quite a different picture and underscoring the irony of the first adjective. (3) Simple words give defini­tion and hint at something about the plot; one of these relatives is hers and one is his. Adjectives that judge. Adjectives should not be used to make explicit judgments about books. What reviewers or annotation writers find lively may be deadly to readers. Reaction to a book depends on interest in the subject, back­ground brought to it, and often mood of the moment. These factors cannot be assessed for readers. (See Judgments, p. 36.) Avoid phrases like these: ¦ pleasant introduction to ¦ sensitive novel about ¦ colorful account ¦ powerful collection ¦ enthusiastic, lively, reverent account ¦ unique, interesting commentary ¦ a touching, funny novel ¦ perceptive insights into (redundant as well as judgmental) ¦ warm, sympathetic story ¦ engaging account ¦ charming portrait ¦ fascinating stories of ¦ moving and lucid biography ¦ engrossing tale of ¦ poignant story of ¦ riveting novel about gripping account and all similar adjectives that prejudge. Adjectives that describe. On the other hand, descriptive adjectives can and often should be used to identify an To describe (yes!) author’s approach or attitude. The key word is “descrip­tive”; the writer does not judge the success of the effort. ¦ sympathetic treatment (The author is “for” whatever is being discussed) ¦ revisionary history (Content runs counter to what has been the prevailing thought) • Small words Articles— a, an, the ¦ controversial approach (Other books may say just the opposite) ¦ light approach (Don’t expect profundities) ¦ in-depth study (There’s more meat here) ¦ critical portrait (The author is not “for” whoever is being discussed) Dossier: The Secret History of Armand Hammer by Edward J. Epstein Annotation: An unflattering portrait of the noted American industrialist, philanthropist, and alleged agent for the Soviet Union. Drawing on official American and Soviet records, extensive interviews, and secretly taped conversations, the author describes a man given to duplicity and ambition. Comment: A well-rounded annotation presenting immediately the author’s approach to his subject and ending with specifics that expand on his negative attitude. In between, the subject is identified suc­cinctly, as are the sources of information. Small words Little words mean a lot! But in the struggle to get words right—interesting nouns, active verbs, precise and colorful adjectives—articles and words that connect or introduce phrases can get insufficient attention. Articles. English utilizes three articles. A and an are indef­inite; the is definite. Indefinite and definite are not just grammar-book names; they point out a function. Articles are not interchangeable, and they are overused. A and an indicate that the subject is one of a group—any one. Often such a relationship is understood, and the article is unnecessary. Conjunctions— and, or, but The presents more problems. It shows uniqueness—that particular one. It also indicates a totality—all of them. Be careful when using this simple word that you don’t imply that the book covers every aspect of this situation, every historical event in the time frame, or every possibility for discussion. Example: …describes the adjustments made by plant and animal species to perpetuate themselves in their inhospitable environment (from a nonfiction work about deserts, but it could apply to any place where plants or animals are in trouble). Comment: The adjustments implies that every pos­sibility is covered, an unlikely circumstance in any scientific field. The force of the annotation is not diminished if the article is omitted; the content is suspect if it is included. Conjunctions. These connecting words make a relation­ship clear. And indicates that elements go together, or shows choice or disparity, but introduces an exception or condition. And/or has crept into use but not into the dic­tionary; options that are compatible at some point and divergent at others can usually be expressed differently and better. Or is straightforward and rarely misused; it indicates that one of two or more things happen or are involved, but not all of them. Sentence: By following their suggestions, a person can avoid investing in companies that manufacture weapons, test products on animals, use environmen­tally unsound packaging, or exploit minorities. Comment: The reader can identify companies involved in any one of these four practices. Sentence: …and joining, staying in, or leaving the work force. Comment: Lists three options that are mutually exclusive. Sentence: Was it fate or was it an act of God? Comment: The characters have to ponder about this. Sentence: Xar, lord of the Nexus and now lord of Abarrach, wants to control the Seventh Gate, which will give him the power to unite or destroy the worlds of air, fire, stone, and water. Comment: There’s a big difference between uniting and destroying. And is concerned with similarities rather than differences. Writers have to be careful about uniting two clauses with and unless they are really connected and relatively equal in importance. One event that follows, or is dependent on, another is better introduced by a phrase or clause that indi­cates the relationship: ¦ After the war, they… (not The war ends and they…) ¦ Because their sun is dying, the Klingons… (not Their sun is dying and…) ¦ When he learns the truth, the master spy… (not The master spy learns the truth and…) ¦ In spite of her terror, Monica… (not Monica is terrified and…) ¦ Desperate for love, the young queen… (not The young queen is desperate for love and…) ¦ Abandoning hope of rescue, the castaways… (not The castaways abandon hope of rescue and…) Similarly, but should be used primarily for two things that are equal. But could be substituted for and in any of the examples above, depending on the information that follows. 77 Prepositions— not always short Within an annotation, sentence structure needs to vary for interest, so not all information can or should be conveyed through dependent clauses. The equality of the information is largely the determining factor for using conjunctions. Prepositions. These words lead to qualifying phrases. Many prepositions are visually short, only two letters (to, by), and simple in sound, having only one or two syllables (through, below). Although these small and familiar words are not interchangeable, several of them can be used in somewhat the same sense. Of, the most common preposi­tion, has twelve major definitions—with up to four sub-meanings under these headings—in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition (Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 1993). An annotation that used of for all, or even a large fraction, of its possible meanings would be infinitely monotonous. Strive for variety and the most precise meaning. Avoid overuse, which leads to long, rambling sentences. Because of the tendency to equate prepositions with short, writers tend to get edgy and wonder if they’re being pedan­tic when considering prepositions longer than five letters. Actually, English utilizes many prepositions, not all of them short; many longer ones are in common usage and not at all obscure in meaning. Several, called phrasal prepositions, consist of more than one word. A list of prepositions for selection: about apart from at above apropos of barring according to around because of across as against before after as between behind along as compared with below along with as for beneath alongside of aside from beside amid as regards besides among as to between beyond in addition to past by in back of pending by dint of in behalf of regarding by means of in case of regardless of by reason of in comparison to round by way of in consideration round about concerning of short of considering in default of since contrary to in front of through despite in lieu of throughout down in place of till due to in preference to to during in regard to toward ere in spite of under except inside underneath except for instead of until excepting into unto for like up from near up to from above of upon from among off versus from around on via from behind on account of with from beneath on behalf of within from between onto without from over opposite to with regard to from under out of with respect to in outside with reference to in accordance over with the with owing to exception of It’s Disgusting—and We Ate It! True Food Facts from around the World—and throughout History (Note the double preposition, from around, and the long one, throughout.) Some constructions almost always use a particular preposi­tion. Grammatically, things are always different from, not different than—a very common error that uses the wrong part of speech. Words into Type (Third Edition, Completely Revised, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1974, pp. 432-446) lists sever­al hundred words with one or more appropriate preposi­tions. Where more than one preposition can be used, the meaning usually differs with the one selected; for example, interfere in something, but interfere with someone. Note that some of the words listed as prepositions can also be other parts of speech, depending on their function in the sentence. Language traps • Language traps Be careful about ¦ any word that has more than one meaning. Since means both because of and from the time of; exam­ples of its misuse are legion. Substitute another word or construction unless the meaning is unmistakable. ¦ words that can be used as more than one part of Take care speech. That description applies to many words that writers cannot, and should not, always avoid. These words have different pronunciations: ¦ read (present and past tense of the same verb) ¦ project (noun and verb) ¦ separate (adjective and verb) record (noun and verb) Thes