Saxton Reads! & Reviews

Last week my husband and I attended a huge book sale. He’s not as in tune to the whole book scene as much as me, but I left him browsing and hoped he’d stay interested long enough for me to get through the tables of non-fiction at least. Not 5 minutes later he’s behind me, showing me this great book he found to take along on our next hiking adventure. The book that caught his eye? A dictionary, not just any old dictionary , but one of those really truly ones, you know the kind I’m talking about, big, brown and about 3000 pages. And also weighing a ton! Of course he wasn’t serious and we both got a great laugh out of picturing me lugging this up some steep slope along with backpack, water bottle, hiking pole, etc. Sherpa takes on new meaning.
 
He did decide to purchase a newer dictionary however, one to replace an older copy he keeps in his workspace in our cellar. When I was checking out my treasures, his find was in my pile (so I could pay for it). The very nice man tallying my purchases picked up the dictionary and exclaimed “Does anyone use dictionaries anymore?” What ensued was an interesting conversation regarding the old fashioned book of words, so commonly used for centuries, but having lost favor in our times due to the ease of spell check.
 
Yes, we do still use dictionaries in our household. The man was interested to hear that I actually have several. It’s not that I can’t spell. Actually, I have even won a spelling bee or two, though that was some time ago. I just feel better having a dictionary on hand, even when typing on my computer. So there’s one by the computer, one in the living room, one in my husband’s workshop, one in his truck and there’s a spare somewhere. I have one at my desk at work and have several others to back that up seeing I work in a library.
 
I’m certain many of you, like me, have gotten caught short with spell check. The computer cannot correct a spelling that’s correct but used in the wrong context and sometimes is not much help when it has no clue what you’re trying to say.
 
I’ll keep my dictionary, thank you. It contains a wealth of information; spelling, word meanings, pronunciation, grammar, and lots of other helpful hints to keep my writing on the straight and narrow. All in one cool book!
 
My decision to write this blog, was really to ask you, our readers, whether you still use an old fashioned dictionary and why? What say you?