Words, Words, Words

Kelton O'Connell writes words about words.

  • Sadness with a trace of hope

    Jonathan Franzen: How to Be Alone

    Each essay in Franzen’s anthology is its own, distinct topic (though with some overlap, as one may expect), from his father’s Alzheimer’s and death, to the United States Postal Service, to federal prisons. The “being alone” aspect is an interesting idea because his essays seem to center around his role…

  • Is social nonconformity just social isolation?

    Albert Camus: The Stranger

    Albert Camus’s novella hit me harder than I was ready for. It was brutal, depressing, but great. I admired the simple, dry writing style that conveys only what’s necessary in the story and keeps the pace moving. Even more so, I loved the absurdism, the direct confrontation with death, and…

  • The American Dictionary’s fascinating life and uncertain prognosis

    Stefan Fatsis: Unabridged

    Stefan Fatsis’s book opened my door to the world of dictionaries and lexicography I didn’t know existed. From the first English dictionary to the future of the industry within the changing world of media.