Friday, August 20, 2010

(Un)Forgotten Books: Roget's Thesaurus


I bought this book new when I was in college, and while I've never actually read it all, I've used it and handled it far more than any book I've ever owned. And I probably will until - as the book says - I breathe my last, croak, decease, depart, expire, fall (drop, sink, etc.) dead, give up the ghost, go to the happy hunting grounds, join my ancestors, kick the bucket, pass away, pass on, perish, succumb, lose my life, lay down my life, go West or make the supreme sacrifice. Thanks, Mr. Roget! Couldn't have said it better myself.

More (Un)Forgotten Books (this week from our tender years as 18-22 year-olds) await at pattinase.

7 comments:

Todd Mason said...

I had no standardized reference in college that I didn't already have handy earlier...the BRITANNICA (1973 edition) and the READER'S DIGEST ENCYCLOPEDIC DICTIONARY (ca. 1970 and delightfully antiquated in many ways even at time of publication, but still useful...my folks still use it for crosswords) leading the pack.

Deka Black said...

Wow, is a very used book. In my time at the college (not finished, looong story) i used always the library.

By the way, is the longest list of synonims for "go to eat eath" i've ever seen.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Now I use an online version. Would never imagine it then. Or any of what has transpired.

George said...

I still own dictionaries and thesauruses, but I never use them now. Like Patti, I use the online versions.

Evan Lewis said...

I know have a stack of different thesauri and word-finders near my desk, but always reach for this one first. Never even thought of looking online.

Charles Gramlich said...

I've worn out a couple of paperback copies

BV Lawson said...

Textbooks and reference books were about the only books I had time to read during my hectic college years, and since I'm older than dirt, the computers of the day weren't much help--they took up an entire room and were barely past punch cards. Looks like soon ALL testbooks will be digital and interactive. The good thing about a print thesaurus: you can use it offline and avoid the temptations of surfing the web instead of writing...