---- MANTEX NEWSLETTER ---- Number 75 - November 2002 Writing + Typography + Design ---- ISSN 1470-1863 ---- Fireworks PUB QUIZ Edition 0----- 'Essential Blogging' [new book] The term 'blog' comes from 'Web log'. It's a form of online personal diary. These are amazingly popular, and now a fashionable medium for those who think they might be a new vehicle for eCommerce. You simply establish your blog, then update it with your daily thoughts, pictures, and interesting links you might have found. And it's all free. Those people who discuss interesting topics or who have an original style of writing can generate huge audiences. This new release from the O'Reilly stable tells you how to blog, who to blog, and even how to set up your own server software if you feel so inclined. It's a complete guide for those who want to join in the fun and become famous. http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/doctorow.htm 0----- Pub Quiz - Question #1 Which area of Italy does Chianti come from? 0----- 'Spelling' [new book] Oxford University Press have just issued a new series of introductory guides on communication skills. This is a beginner's guide to the problems of spelling in English - and how to overcome them. It explains why spelling is a tricky issue, and gives tips on avoiding the worst mistakes. There's also a section on how English was formed as a language, plus lists of words which are commonly mis-spelt - which can also be spelled mis-spelled, or misspelled :-) Details and review at - http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/allen-2.htm 0----- Pub Quiz - Question #2 Which travel agency invented the package holiday? 0----- 'Free eBook - 100 Tips' 100 Cool Webmaster Tips is a collection of some of the best tips from the award winning ezine, Almost a Newsletter (AAN), plus a few tips never before published. AAN was named the Best Ezine of the year in the Web Design category by ibizNewsletters, and one of the Top 3 Ezines on the Net in Writers Digest Magazine. Go to - http://www.boogiejack.com/100tips.html 0----- Pub Quiz - Question #3 A nectarine is a cross between which two fruits? 0----- 'Lexicography - An Introduction' [new book] It means 'making dictionaries'. But Howard Jackson's new book does more than that. He traces the history of dictionaries, shows you how they are compiled, and discusses some of the problems of trying to pin down and keep up to date with something which is changing all the time - Language. This will be of interest to any students or teachers of language. Details at - http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/jackson.htm 0----- Pub Quiz - Question #4 What is the opposite of hibernation? 0----- 'Blown to Bits' [new-ish book] This is a book about eCommerce - and how new technology is breaking the traditional rules of business. It's a set text on the Open University course 'You, Your Computer + the Net'. That's T171 if you are familiar with OU jargon. The good thing about it is that it examines the principles of eCommerce in a general sense - whilst looking at some interesting examples. For instance, 'Encyclopedia Britannica' went from a world market leader to a commercial also-ran in five years - just because it was late to go digital. You'll need to brace yourself for some heavy marketing language - but it's worth the effort if you can. Review at - http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/evans-2.htm 0----- Pub Quiz - Question #5 How many keys does a normal piano have? 0----- 'Writing Reports' [new book] This is another in the new series of beginner's guides from OUP. They are cheap, cheerful, and full of tips. John Seely's book covers everything a beginner needs on writing reports. He covers the stages of planning and creating structure which are the basis of successful reports. There's also coverage of the different types of reports you might be asked to write - and he makes the interesting point that they don't all need to be lengthy. He also guides you through the stages of drafting, re-writing, and editing which are necessary if you're writing something serious. Details and review - http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/seely.htm 0----- Pub Quiz - Question #6 What would you do with a Spanish chorizo? 0----- '20th Century Type: Remix' [new edition] This book always comes in the top ten favourites amongst type designers and fontaholics. It's a beautifully illustrated guide to the past hundred years of innovations in typography. Lewis Blackwell puts type design in its historical context, starting from Art Nouveau, then working his way decade by decade up to the post-Modern 1990s. En route, all the major designers are discussed and illustrated - Jan Tschichold, Paul Renner, Saul Bass, Paul Rand, Roger Excoffon, Adrian Frutiger, Neville Brody, David Carson, Eric Spiekermann, Rudy Vanderlans and Zuzana Licko. Review at - http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/blackwell.htm 0----- Pub Quiz - Question #7 Who first discovered the composition of air? 0----- 'Editing and Revising Text' [new book] This is another from the new series issued by Oxford University Press. It covers all the basics of editing, re-writing and proof-correcting text. Jo Billingham starts from choosing the right words, goes through creating well-shaped sentences, and ends with crafting the structure of longer work. The aim throughout is to produce clear and effective writing - and she shows how it can be done using real-life examples drawn from different types of writing. Excellent starting point for beginners - and good value too! http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/billing.htm 0----- Pub Quiz - Question #8 Which river flows through six European countries? 0----- 'Punctuation' [new book] Yes - yet another from OUP! They released a whole clutch of these beginners' guides at the same time. This one deals with all the common marks of punctuation - from the humble comma to the mighty full stop. In between, there are those marks which cause most problems - the semi-colon and the infamous apostrophe. Robert Allen offers clear explanations and plenty of everyday examples. Plus, there's a big checklist you can use for reference. Review and details at - http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/allen.htm 0----- PUB QUIZ - Question #9 Where are The Spanish Steps? 0----- 'Publicity and Newsletters' [new book] If you're writing a press release, a club newsletter, or even a one-page advert, you need to be able to *persuade* your readers. This requires sharp writing skills, and you need to be clear and accurate. Alison Baverstock's new book shows you how to do this - and more. She's particularly good at guiding beginners through the techniques you will need to *place* your work with publishers, editors, and press agents. This is useful for writers of stories and poetry, as well as amateur journalists. Cheap, cheerful, and good value - http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/baver.htm 0----- PUB QUIZ - Question #10 What is the largest island in Asia? 0----- 'Words' [new book] Would you like to 'increase your word-power'? - as Reader's Digest used to say. John Seely's new book shows you how words are formed, where they come from, and how to add more to your own personal vocabulary. He has an interesting section on using dictionaries - how to choose one, and how to make the most of the information it contains. Other sections deal with the tone, register, and nuances of the words you use. And for those who need to know formal grammar, he ends with a clear account of word classes and word structure - that's nouns, verbs, adjectives, prefixes, suffixes, and so on. http://www.mantex.co.uk/reviews/seely-2.htm 0----- Autumn PUB QUIZ - ANSWERS Which area of Italy does Chianti come from? ANSWER: Tuscany Which travel agency invented the package holiday? ANSWER: Thomas Cook A nectarine is a cross between which two fruits? ANSWER: Plum and peach What is the opposite of hibernation? ANSWER: Aestivation How many keys does a normal piano have? ANSWER: Eighty-eight What would you do with a Spanish chorizo? ANSWER: Eat it [it's a sausage] Who first discovered the composition of air? ANSWER: Joseph Priestley Which river flows through six European countries? ANSWER: The Danube Where are The Spanish Steps? ANSWER: Rome What is the largest island in Asia? ANSWER: Borneo 0----- COMING SOON 'Electronic Texts in the Humanities' 'Write in Style' 'eCommerce: The User Experience' 'XML, HTML, XHTML Magic' 'The Complete Manual of Typography' 'Interactive Narratives' (c) Copyright 2002, MANTEX All Rights Reserved PO Box 100 Tel +44 0161 432 5811 Manchester Fax +44 0161 443 2766 M20 6GZ UK www.mantex.co.uk If you like this newsletter, PLEASE FORWARD IT to friends and colleagues. New subscribers should register at the following address -- http://www.mantex.co.uk/newslet.htm FREE BACK ISSUES featuring news items, reviews, and product details at - http://www.mantex.co.uk/news/archive.htm Please retain the copyright and list-joining information. It may be posted, in its entirety or partially, to newsgroups or mailing lists, so long as the copyright and list-joining information remains. If you have any requests, observations, or items you would like to be included in our next issues, just mail us at -- news@mantex.co.uk You receive the MANTEX newsletter because you subscribed to it. If you wish to leave the list, go to -- http://www.mantex.co.uk/newslet.htm News-75-November-2002 ISSN 1470-1863 The British Library