Monday, February 19, 2018

Sirens could be heard

FOUND IN A NOVEL: Sirens could be heard in the distance.

The writer could have said Sirens wailed in the distance or Sirens shrieked in the distance.

Could be heard is mighty weak.


FROM ANOTHER NOVEL: I passed it to Wolfe, and he opened it with the deliberate and friendly exactness which his hands displayed towards all inanimate things.

I loved the phrase deliberate and friendly exactness, especially when you're talking about an inanimate object. Since you can see Wolfe, you probably know this is a Nero Wolfe book written by Rex Stout.

EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com TWITTER: EDITORatWORK

(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)
(the book of great NASCAR stories)

More blog entries by Tom Gillispie

Anecdotes by Tom Gillispie

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