Mindfire: Typos wanted
I’m working on a 2nd edition of Mindfire: Big Ideas for Curious Minds, to clean up some typos and to make other minor fixes. If you found a typo, I’d be grateful if you’d list it here.
This is the current list of known corrections:
- page 30: while at the same time pleasing others.. / pleasing others.
- page 60: Less spacing above Bonus
- page 104: Four kinds of mistakes should be on pg 105
- page 123: unique wonder in this universe that is you . (period is on next line)
- page 137: in place of actual thinking.. / thinking.
- page 162: “Greatest American Essays” / Best American Essays
- page 168: 8. Does transparency matter? / should be top of pg 169
- page 174: Page break: misappropriate the word.
I just read through the kindle edition of mindfire and i think i might have stumbled upon a little typo. In part 3, chapter 29 “Attention and Sex”, third paragraph “Free money and sex if you read this now”, last but one sentence, it says: “Successful athletes, performers, or writers about how they…”
I guess there’s the verb “ask” missing, so the intended meaning would be:
“Ask Successful athletes…”
Despite being from Germany I don’t want to be a grammar nazi. Just trying to help here! ;)
I loved mindfire so far, really opened my eyes on a few things, especially the part about attention. Thank you very much! I’m looking forward to reading more of your writings.
Best wishes from Karlsruhe, Germany
Florian
p.71 the first word is ‘effect’ and should be ‘affect’
Thanks David
Location 1806 of 2005 in my Kindle edition or:
Notes and references on the essays -> 11. On God and Integrity -> second sentence -> “_I’ve was_ influenced by their bravery.”
Thanks.
On page 169 of the book, “Bannff” is misspelled. It should be “Banff.” Maybe only Canadians like me will notice that one.
The book is terrific by the way.
One more typo I spotted. There is a reference to James “Nesmith” in the book. The correct spelling is “Naismith.” (Naismith was born and raised in my hometown of Almonte, Ontario, Canada.)
All the best,
Rodger
Rumor has it the list of backers at the end might have a typo or two ;)
Thanks for the reminder Smaranda! :)
I am reading this on the kindle edition and think they are all valid grammatical errors, although I am no English major.
The Size of Ideas (First paragraph)
“The problem is that’s is rejected…” should read “that is”
Constraints and Creative Thinking (Last Para)
“…and talent applied to a unsolvable problem…” should read: “an unsolvable”
People Defend Bad Ideas (Death by Homogony section)
“…sitting on a bench in quiet park with…” should read: “in a quiet park”
People Defend Bad Ideas (Death by Homogony section)
“…because it consists of people with same backgrounds…” should read: “people with the same backgrounds”
People Defend Bad Ideas (Death by Homogony section)
“…life was much less predictable and were forced…” should read: …and we were forced…”
People Defend Bad Ideas (Death by Homogony section)
“If you go out of you way to find…” should read: “if you go out of your way…”
Thanks for reporting these Alastair.
Hi, Scott– I sent these via email, but resending just in case you lost them.
Simple Typos
20:top – missing s – that crying brings food
20:middle – to share different ideas is hard to find, so start
34:top – without losing it’s essence
58:top – support something good that deserves morve love
77:middle – is a simple idea that’s is rejected by ignorance
95:middle – missing words and odd phrasing It’s entirely possible to offer criticism, commentary, and advice without attaching negative energy: it’s just we so rarely see it done properly that most of us don’t realize it’s possible, much less let alone more effective.
98: top – I assume that people are likely to have more than one opinion? help people become comfortable with hearing other people’s opinion opinions. ? Not sure the apostrophe is placed correctly as well?
137:middle – double period after in place of actual thinking
163top – missing k left you thinking
169 3rd para — in their own times and I’ve was been influenced
170 3rd para — No need to capitalize bBy Wes Nisker
171: bottom – The isolating effects of suburbia, and private schooling, makes make it harder to learn
172 3rd para – see giving and receiving feedback as important enough to
178 3rd para — Ironic (deliberate?) misspelling: You folks are the embodyment embodiment of tough love
158: verb agreement — The only reason you are not making the things you dream about, or supporting others who
Items I found confusing
69:top – I believe you mean to say that the ratio of participating to spectating is smaller than we like to admit
158: The first time I read the book, I thought the question “What is your strawman for everything” was a misplaced copy/paste. I understand now that this refers back to the title of the essay, but I think some context didn’t get carried over from your blog. In particular, the essay itself doesn’t use the term “strawman” and its typical meaning a weak or imaginary opposition (as an argument or adversary) set up only to be easily confuted doesn’t seem to be how you’re using the term.
178 4th para – I presume that this just an odd nickname (boneless meat thinned with a mallet???) — Kudos to my good friend, and escalope, Marlowe
Style Nits
As far as I know, punctuation always goes inside quotes even if it’s not part of the quote. This rattles everything in my programmer’s brain, but seems to be held in most things I read.
41 2nd para – punctuation belongs inside of ending quotes.
136 3rd para – period not needed after question mark inside quotation marks.
136 3rd para – period should be inside quotation marks.
163top — comma belongs inside the quotes
Spacing Issues
I noticed that the text isn’t justified in the print edition, which was a little bit jarring. Nevertheless, there seemed to be a few text layout issues:
123: 3rd para – a period is orphaned, wrapped to the next line.
191 2nd para – no space needed between considered and subsequent comma
158: unneeded space before comma after dream about
170: space not needed between archetype and subsequent comma
Comma Usage
Comma usage is, in many ways, a debatable element of style– different authors use commas somewhat differently. I wonder if your commas are placed the way they are because you do a lot of public speaking? Anyway, there were a few comma placements (either present or missing) that I found odd…
48 3rd para – should have a comma after the “but reasonable” interjection
87top – comma after great interrupts the flow of thought
134top – comma after courageous does not belong
137middle – comma not needed after that one cigarette a day
150top — comma needed after can only see 140 degrees of 360
151middle — no comma is needed in the Law of lost attention
166middle – comma needed after For me
Thanks Eric.
Here are a few:
Page 84, line 4
– you don’t need a comma before the closing parenthesis, since you have one after
Page 85, line 6
– there shouldn’t be a comma after “illusions”
Page 85, 3rd paragraph line 6
– should be “deist notions” singular
Page 133, 3rd paragraph, line 9
– “e.g.” is Latin for “for example,” so you can’t follow it with “for example”
Page 135, 2nd paragraph, line 11
– should be “who” instead of “that”
Page 142, 2nd paragraph, line 1
– Seven Samurai should not have “the” in front of it
– on Mona Lisa, the “the” should not be italicized or capitalized
Page 151, 2nd paragraph, line 11
– closing parenthesis should be before the period (after “food movement”)
Page 167, 2nd paragraph
– Bible is italicized in line 3 but not italicized in line 7
Footnotes
– The first two footnotes in the book have the footnote number following the punctuation mark, and all the others have the footnote number preceding it.
Commas
– I agree with the previous commenter that your comma usage is a bit unusual. Regardless of personal style, you probably should at least be consistent in your use of the serial comma – pick one way or the other to use throughout the book.
Hope this is helpful. I just flipped through a few sections at random. My superpower happens to be proofreading :)
Your superpower is most welcome here :) Thanks.