In case you can't see...I have another photo for you!
There, that should make you smile!
Asyndeton is a literary device that omits conjunctions. (From the Greek meaning "unconnected", it is used to shorten a sentence and to focus on its meaning. I can't tell you how much I loved learning this and reading different examples! Here's a famous one:
Julius Caesar..."I came. I saw. I conquered."
This really drives home the point, no time to clog up the meaning with "ands" in between! I have read that using asyndeton gives writing a nice rhythm and pace. This somehow reminds me of how much I would like to edit both books and films...there is so much that just isn't necessary. I do wonder...did any of you ever read the Reader's Digest Condensed Books as a child? I did and I enjoyed them immensely. I did have several teachers who told me that they disapproved of me reading them. They said that the authors would not like their books "condensed" for readers, that was not how they were written. I found that the books that were in the Reader's Digest Condensed Book series were very often so good that it really didn't matter if I didn't get the "whole" picture so to speak, if the writing was good, it was good. Period. And I have always appreciated something that gets to the point. (In Britain, they say "full stop" instead of "period.")
We were able to see our son recently and as always, I asked him to play his guitar and sing us a song. One of the songs that he did...oh, how I wish I could have it on this blog post for you all to hear...was "Everybody Wants To Rule The World", a song from the 1980's by the English group, "Tears For Fears". Now, no offense to those men in the group, but honestly, Christopher's vocal is better. No lie.
It's a good song! You should listen to this and march around the room for exercise. You know that I do. (And I loved the 1980's! So, it makes me happy to hear this music!)
P.S. April, Amaryllis, Asyndeton. Awesome alliteration!
I'd forgotten all about the Reader's Digest Condensed Books until I read your post, Kay. I never read them...the thought of doing so just didn't sit well with me. So I let them remain sitting on their respective shelves. I wanted the complete, unadulterated versions...an individual choice.
ReplyDeleteWe use the punctuation description "full stop" here, too.
I love the little fellow hiding in the lilies. :)
It was a neighbor who loaned those Reader's Digest Condensed books to me. I appreciated any books that came my way, I couldn't be picky about them! You don't want to know my childhood begging for books, do you? And of course, you would say "full stop" also, I do wonder how our English in America has so many differences!
DeleteYou always have such interesting and informative posts! Your hubby is too cute. I did smile at M&M guy! Yes, I read the Reader's Digest versions. No harm, no foul! Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteThank, hon! I bet you were like me and giggled at the Archie Comics too, I always thought Betty and Veronica were so pretty, wish I looked like Veronica! Take care!
DeleteMy mother always got Readers Digest Condensed Books so I read quite a few of them. I was never sure what might have been left out. I often see book donations requested for fundraisers but the signs always say NO READERS DIGEST CONDENSED BOOKS!!! I saw that bit of red with the flowers but didn't know what it was. Very cute. I love Tears For Fears and I'm sure I'd enjoy your son's vocal.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
There's not much love for the Readers Digest Condensed Books but I enjoyed the ones that I read as a kid. As an editor, I wonder if you have ever read any reviews of the books themselves. I read that some authors felt the editors did a good job on their books, that they still got the essence of the writing. I just looked it up and that is what I read!
DeleteMaybe one day my son will get it together with his music and you will know his name along with his great singing voice!
No, I haven't read reviews. I enjoyed the condensed books, too.
DeleteI just Googled the condensed books. In 1997 they were replaced by Readers Digest Select Editions, which sounds as if it's pretty much the same thing.
DeleteI'm glad you liked them too! Like you, after I did this post, I googled it! And just as you say, charity book shops won't accept them!😊
DeleteI agree with you as usual. It's a great song. I have another pet peeve about books and movies. When they end let them end. I really hate reading a story and having it end up in the air. If I like the story I'll read the next one but finish this one first!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, now it is my turn to agree with you! Very often, at then end, I will say..."what the heck?"
DeleteYour awesome alliteration made me smile, as did Mr Red M&M :-)
ReplyDeleteTears for Fears were good, weren't they! But I am not surprised you find Christopher's vocals better. Roland Orzabal was good, and both men's voices are easily recognisable, but your son has a great voice, too.
My Grandma used to have some Reader's Digest condensed books, and I read them as a kid. Since I had no comparison, I couldn't tell how much was missing; I liked the books well enough.
There is a saying attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: "I did not have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one." It's true; if you want to say what really matters in few words, that is often much harder to compose than just going on and on about your topic.
When I was older, I went back and read some of the books that I liked from Reader's Digest Condensed books and do you know, I actually liked the shorter versions better! But then, that's me. What is the expression that you are told in writing, "kill your darlings"? You must take out things if they don't contribute to the main idea! I don't need to give YOU any writing advice, I am astonished that you write so well in English, I have to remind myself that your first language is German. xx
DeleteI loved the Reader’s Digest and read them often. Gee... I wonder if they still print them. That is a wonderful song, Kay. You’ll have to post Christopher next time. How wonderful to have such a talented son. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteAh, I found at least one other person who liked those books! I think I started reading them when I was in 4th grade, so I read them for a fair number of years. I really did read anything I could get my hands on as a kid!
DeleteC. really is a great guy, just as much as he is a great singer! xx
I came, I looked, I liked.
ReplyDeleteThanks! :-)
DeleteI'd never heard of Asyndeton's before, but I did read a lot of readers digest books. They may have been condensed but I enjoyed so many of them. I won't complain at all. Your amaryllis are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYay! I couldn't be snobby about books, I simply liked anything and everything that came my way as a kid!
DeleteWe love our amaryllis!!
Such an informative post! I came. I read. I commented.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated. Thank you, funny lady!
DeleteJust heard of Amaryllis recently as a female name, now I know it's a flower. I have read and enjoyed condensed R.D. books in the past. I've also read several new 500 plus page books recently and had to skip a lot of 'padding' in them yet re-reading a bunch of 1960s and 1970s books, which stick to a 250 page rule normally there's never a word wasted. So less can be much more.
ReplyDeleteAnd what a flower it is! So happy you also enjoyed some of the condensed books. I always love reading books, magazines and newspapers in Britain, the writing is excellent. Many disagree with me, somehow craving tons of descriptive passages. Just give me the story!
DeleteI always enjoyed Reader's Digest as a kid and well into my adult years. I stopped subscribing to a few magazines since I was able to read the condensed versions of their articles in Reader's Digest. I always started with "Laughter is the Best Medicine"
ReplyDeleteYes, me too, I headed straight to the funny stories! I also loved "All In A Day's Work" and "Test Your Brain Power". And reading whatever else was chosen to highlight were always positive stories that were often inspiring. Speaking of that, I also loved reading the magazine "Guideposts". I had a neighbor who always had both magazines and since I babysat for them, I read them all during my early teens!
DeleteMy grandparents had a whole bookcase full of the hardcover Readers Digest books and I loved reading them when we visited them and when I spent a week with them in the summer when I was a kid. I haven't thought of them in years.
ReplyDeleteHappy to bring back a fond reading memory for you!
DeleteFlowers are beautiful, and I did snicker seeing your M character, lol. Glad you had a good visit and listen with your son. I miss hearing my daughter sink, she has such an awesome voice and sang all the time when she lived here at home. Readers Digest.......yes, we had a bookshelf with quite a few. Think my folks belonged to like a book club for awhile as I remember.
ReplyDeleteHey Sandy! Good thing I married someone who likes a good laugh as much as I do! LOL! I must say that I miss my son living with us, not only can he sing but also this ...we would be watching TV and a song would come on and he would grab his guitar and then, PERFECTLY play the tune! I miss that. My parents were not big on books, I really begged for them.
DeleteWe were raised on RD's Condensed Books, and their Best-Loved Books for Young Readers (which I think were also abridged). I went on to read the full versions of many of them. We also had a series of condensed biographies from RD. They introduced me to a lot of history I would otherwise never have known.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever watched the show "Psych"? It had a kind of running gag involving Curt Smith of Tears for Fears. He was a guest on the show a few times too, singing that very song. :)
Hey Sue!
DeleteNo, I have never seen that TV show but I like that the singer was a guest on there singing their big hit!
I am glad that you liked the RD's Condensed Books and I really wish I could have known of those Best Loved Books for Young Readers. I have fond memories of some kind of series...they were biographies of Americans, I read every one that they had in the library when I was in the 3rd grade. Started my love of non fiction at an early age!
Hope you are doing well in your part of the country and enjoying a lovely spring. xx
Ah, the old Readers Digest condensed books! My parents had a lot of those, although I do not remember that I ever read them. They also had LP recordings from Readers Digest. Your Amaryllis are just beautiful; did you know we call them Hippeastrum? I have a dark red one which flowers just once a year. Asyndeton: I thoroughly approve of it, it makes the point more pointedly and should be encouraged. And I never even knew it had a name! Thank you, we always learn on your posts.
ReplyDelete