Don’t you just hate reviews and essays that start “Webster’s Third International defines…”? The writer somehow needs to reinforce what s/he is saying through the authority of a dictionary. The writer then applies his/her own definition to the words that comprise the original definition, and uses a narrow interpretation of said definition to fit his/her point. If a speaker bombastically delivered the previous three sentences, it would be a rant.
Thinking I misinterpreted what “rant” means, I looked it up and, thanks to the Internet and specifically Google, it’s easy to find definitions in many sources at the same time (just Google “define” + a word). What caused me to question my understanding of this particular word is a book, But Then Again I Could Be Wrong: The Book of Rants. Within its pages, author Jim Rising offers observations on a multitude of subjects, and many of these observations will make the reader smile. None of them qualify as rants in the style of ranter king Andy Rooney, or pretender-to-the-throne Dennis Miller. Ranting is defined as speaking or writing — declaiming — aggressively, bombastically, violently, angrily, vehemently…need I continue? George Carlin was a good ranter. Many comedians attempt to be.
Jim Rising is a writer for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA Weekender and the clever host of an appealingly named radio program, “Rising at Ten.” Rising explains that his “rants” were originally broadcast on WDMT 102.3 and he chose “rants” for alliterative purposes — “Rising Rants.” Each of Rising’s rants ends with his signature line “Or then again I could be wrong.” This device may work well on daily radio broadcasts, but if you read more than one rant a day, it will start to get on your nerves, detracting from what you have read. His editor might have done well to advise him to include the line in the title (as he has) and the first and last chapters.
Article comments
1 - Nicole Langan
Thanks again, Miss Bob for the review.
2 - mogo
A delightful review for a well-read book. Jim has the knack for descibing the innocent and sublime rants of his life with both seriousness and humor. Thanks for the great read!