{"product_id":"nabokovs-favorite-word-is-mauve-what-the-numbers-reveal-about-the-classics-bestsellers-and-our-own-writing-9781501105395","title":"Nabokov's Favorite Word Is Mauve: What the Numbers Reveal about the Classics, Bestsellers, and Our Own Writing","description":"\u003cp\u003e • Author(s): Ben Blatt\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher: Simon \u0026amp; Schuster\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher Imprint: Simon \u0026amp; Schuster\u003cbr\u003e • BISAC: Modern - General\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eData meets literature in this \"enlightening\" (\u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e), \"brilliant\" (\u003ci\u003eThe Boston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e), \"Nate Silver-esque\" (\u003ci\u003eO, The Oprah Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e) look at what the numbers have to say about our favorite authors and their masterpieces.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThere's a famous piece of writing advice--offered by Ernest Hemingway, Stephen King, and myriad writers in between--not to use -ly adverbs like \"quickly\" or \"angrily.\" It sounds like solid advice, but can we actually test it? If we were to count all the -ly adverbs these authors used in their careers, do they follow their own advice? What's more, do great books in general--the classics and the bestsellers--share this trait? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn the age of big data we can answer questions like these in the blink of an eye. In \u003ci\u003eNabokov's Favorite Word Is Mauve\u003c\/i\u003e, a \"literary detective story: fast-paced, thought-provoking, and intriguing\" (Brian Christian, coauthor of \u003ci\u003eAlgorithms to Live By\u003c\/i\u003e), statistician and journalist Ben Blatt explores the wealth of fun findings that can be discovered by using text and data analysis. He assembles a database of thousands of books and hundreds of millions of words, and then he asks the questions that have intrigued book lovers for generations: What are our favorite authors' favorite words? Do men and women write differently? Which bestselling writer uses the most clichés? What makes a great opening sentence? And which writerly advice is worth following or ignoring? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAll of Blatt's investigations and experiments are original, conducted himself, and no math knowledge is needed to enjoy the book. On every page, there are new and eye-opening findings. By the end, you will have a newfound appreciation of your favorite authors and also come away with a fresh perspective on your own writing. \"Blatt's new book reveals surprising literary secrets\" (\u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e) and casts an x-ray through literature, allowing us to see both the patterns that hold it together and the brilliant flourishes that allow it to spring to life.","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":45131334549655,"sku":"9781501105395","price":1406.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0666\/3471\/1191\/files\/9781501105395.webp?v=1767102405","url":"https:\/\/atlanticbooks.com\/products\/nabokovs-favorite-word-is-mauve-what-the-numbers-reveal-about-the-classics-bestsellers-and-our-own-writing-9781501105395","provider":"Atlantic Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}