Vocab from Stephen King: Anomie

I just finished one of the few books by Stephen King that I will ever read:  On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.  I don’t do horror, but I love writing.  With humor and an easy style, Mr. King dispenses sage advice from his years of success as a wordsmith.  On Writing has encouraged me to indulge my interest in the craft, to spend more time writing, less time fretting over the house.

If you feel you need permission to do all the reading and writing your little heart desires, however, consider it hereby granted by yours truly.

Thank you, Mr. King.  I’ll take it!  And there’s more.  He unwittingly validates Diary of a Word Nerd when he says:

…good writing consists of mastering the fundamentals (vocabulary, grammar, the elements of style) and then filling the third level of your toolbox with the right instruments.

And he taught me some vocabulary along the way.

Raymond Chandler may be recognized now as an important figure in twentieth-century American literature, an early voice describing the anomie of urban life in the years after WW II, but there are plenty of critics who will reject such a judgement out of hand.

If you love reading, writing, and words, please visit Kathy’s Wondrous Words Wednesday meme at Bermuda Onion.  You can share your own post or learn new words from others.

Now, to this week’s word.

anomie \ˈa-nə-mē\ noun from the Greek a (without) + nomos law

• social instability resulting from a breakdown of standards and values
• personal unrest, alienation, and uncertainty that comes from a lack of purpose or ideals

[via Merriam Webster]

Word Nerd Workout

Can you use anomie in a sentence?  Here’s my try:

Chester’s parents thought  a stint in the military would shake him of his anomie. 

And, if you like Stephen King, or scribbling words on the page, I highly recommend On Writing.  

Don’t forget to stop by Bermuda Onion for Wondrous Words Wednesday!

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