"Book bible"

[Laurence Horn]

Ah, the book bible.  Or as the Greeks called it, biblion biblion.

LH

On Feb 11, 2013, at 12:07 PM, Joel S. Berson wrote:

> I encountered the following on an email list.  I have not seen or
> heard the term "book bible".  The description of what the author
> wanted sounds merely like a book index, although very
> comprehensive.  Perhaps users of the phrase apply it only to fiction
> series, where the writer wants to be factual in succeeding
> publications (that is, to avoid inconsistencies).  I suppose "bible"
> because it is the truth about the fiction.
>
> "I hired a college student to assemble a book bible for my urban
> fantasy series last year. I was doing edits on the second book and
> about to begin the third, and was spending way too much time flipping
> through the first manuscript to fact-check details (was Alex driving
> a Mercedes or a BMW, and was it a convertible? That kind of thing). I
> had her make an index of all proper nouns, character details, world
> building details, lists of charms and potions my character made, etc.
> She's done the first two books and will be adding details from book
> three this year. It has saved a LOT of time."
>
> Googling seems inefficient (I'm an agnostic, and too many hits are
> for The Book).
>
> Joel
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org