More on writing styles

Once again, I am relying on the creative energies of another in order to have something to post. No apologies, merely an excuse. I am busy with other things. Some important, Godly, vocational things. Other things that, while not ungodly, are purely for my personal pleasure.

With that preface, here is a comment from Jesse on my picturesque speech post from way back on April 3.

I've been thinking more about prose style lately too, with a possibly vain hope to produce something worthy of publication. Your examples reminded me of the one Clive Cussler book I've read on the one hand, and Victor Hugo's Les Miserables on the other hand. The former style I found a bit tedious in a ridiculously entertaining way, almost like watching Army of Darkness. The latter style I found tedious in the way of 19th-century loquaciousness, yet almost painfully descriptive. Compare Clive Cussler to Brad Thor, whose adventures are similar, even a shade toward James Bond. Yet Thor's style is both easy to consume (partly an effect of good pacing) and lacking ridiculosity -- to use a Bushism.

I am mostly going to let this stand alone, because I have read perhaps one Cussler book, and nothing by Hugo or Thor. I am unfamiliar with Army of Darkness, and only moderately familiar with James Bond.

Perhaps I sell myself short on the James Bond thing. I've seen a number of the movies and have even read a few of the Bond novels by Ian Fleming. Still, compared to a real Bond fan, such as a certain pastor who lives South of us, I consider myself mostly ignorant regarding things Bond.

Alas, I digress. Jesse, are you familiar with the book on prose, "Talking Voices: Repetition, Dialogue and Imagery in Conversational Discourse" which was recommended by my husband in response to my former post. I would be interested in getting your thoughts on it, if you have. I have not read it yet. I rely on the thoughts of others.

I sometimes frustrate my husband. When he wants to know something, he immediately finds the answer. He pulls a book from one of our shelves. Or he searches on line. Or he requests a book from the library. And so he learns.

I like to think about things. I like to wonder. I like to talk about those things I have swimming around in my brain. But I have very little gumption to actually pursue these things in a concrete way. Does that imply that I do not progress in my learning?