With the release of the movie version of the musical Les Misérables, friends and foes alike have debated its merits, demerits–loving it and hating it for being and not being faithful to the original stage production. Here’s an excerpt from A Deeper Look at James, forthcoming from IVP this spring and from my wife, Phyllis, and me, that considers what’s behind both versions of Victor Hugo’s famed book.
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Month: January 2013
Subtitles, Drama and the Rule of Three
Titles are without a doubt one of the most vital elements for a successful book. But subtitles, while clearly “sub,” still matter a lot.
One way (not the only way) to construct an effective subtitle is by using the Rule of Three. Offering a list with three items gives a rising sense of movement, climax and direction. Consider these subtitles:
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John Stott’s Peace Offering
“Fie upon you, IVP.”
I’m still shocked, fifteen years later, that John Stott uttered these words at our office gathering during an event in which we honored him in 1998 for fifty years of publishing with us. We had at that point sold over five million copies of over forty of his books, booklets and Bible study guides. Many present had said what his books had meant to them. He voiced his appreciation. Then toward the end, even with a slight tinge of humor, self-consciously overstating his sentiments, he clearly expressed that, nonetheless, he was upset with us.
What had we done? Published heresy? Wandered far from our publishing mission? Perhaps we had altered some of his writing without his consent? Insulted the Queen? No, none of these.
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Surprised by Self-Publishing
Jennie Nash tells us there is a thrill when an author can pick her own cover, set her own prices, decide on special editions and more. She also tells us there’s terror.
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The 2013 Andys
Before we get to the winners of the 2013 Andys (gotta build a little suspense), let me offer an overview of what I read this year. Of the twenty-four books listed, five were fiction, two were business books, six were audio books and eight were narrative non-fiction.
Anything new in my reading habits this year? Yes, a couple things. The list included the first ebook I read on my Kindle given to me last Christmas. And there were two self-published books in the list. Both suggest I am part of key trends–and I do love to be trendy.
But now, to the winners, with my own incisive and hyper-witty Synop-Tweet (a tweet-sized synopsis) of each:
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The Nominees for 2013 Are In
The world awaits with hushed anticipation. Who will win the 2013 Andys for most, least, worst, longest, shortest, oldest and best books from my 2012 reading list? But first, of course,
the nominees. Here they are, the books I read outside the office, in the order I finished them, linking them to the edition I had.
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