Recent comments in /f/todayilearned

myeff t1_j8nxcr8 wrote

Reply to comment by Some0neAwesome in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

Love it! But it has to be a single sentence. If you use a semi-colon instead of the first period and a colon or dash instead of the second one, you've got it!

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TheCheshireCody t1_j8nwxle wrote

Reply to comment by cox_ph in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

The two can be used interchangeably to a degree, but an em-dash more effectively serves as an interjection into a sentence. Usually that interjection is sandwiched between two parts of the sentence, but it doesn't have to be.

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Brewin4Fun t1_j8nw6y8 wrote

Reply to comment by _Silly_Wizard_ in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

Do you say the night was humid? Or do you say the night was moist? That's writing.

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ADiestlTrain t1_j8ntxiz wrote

Reply to TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

It might be terrible, but there's not many people on this thread that will ever writing anything half so enduring.

Awful ≠ Forgettable

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AirborneRodent t1_j8nttkg wrote

Reply to comment by cox_ph in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

Everything about the sentence is bothersome. It's a legendarily badly written sentence.

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Some0neAwesome t1_j8ntn1f wrote

Reply to comment by jusmellow in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

I could probably submit something worth the read.

John looked down at his undesirable toast, cooked unevenly on the upper right corner, enough to trigger a looming sense of irritation stemming from the service workers inherent lack of pride in their presentation, as he wondered to himself whether or not the butter had successfully penetrated that specific piece of his crispy warm bread. It had not, but John was too lacking in courage, or spineless, as some would say, to bring attention to his utter disappointment in his toast, so he chose to eat it as-is, while wondering what a life of courage and assertiveness would be like. These were the type of questions that led John down a very dangerous path.

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PeachSnappleOhYeah t1_j8ntj9c wrote

Reply to comment by AudibleNod in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

i like 'em served in copper mugs with what seems like too much ice 👍

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Athomas16 t1_j8nssbu wrote

Reply to comment by jusmellow in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

I love the one about the guy who saved his own life by using his skills as a mimic to induce the firing squad to shoot themselves

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Some0neAwesome t1_j8nsfho wrote

Reply to comment by TheCloudFestival in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

I read quite a few books from this era when I was in high school to try to expand my understanding of how the population perceived the world and how that affected common behaviors that have since gone to the wayside. You are absolutely right about the writing style. I was getting marked down for run-on sentences constantly on my assignments because the writing style rubbed off on me. To this day, I still have a habit of writing long, run-on sentences. That, or I overcorrect and end up with short and blunt sentences.

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EmbraceableYew t1_j8nsbps wrote

Reply to TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

This is from Edward Bulwer-Lytton. It is too bad that this seems to be mainly what he is remembered for.

He was a 19th-century English novelist, dandy, and politician. He was friends with and served with Benjamin Disraeli, another dandy/writer/ politician (and ultimately prime minister). EBL was colonial secretary . Pelham was a popular novel of his. Also The Last Days of Pompeii, among many, many others.

If I am not mistaken, ELB would get elected by explaining that under no circumstances should anyone ever vote for him.

It was a different time. I might be mixing him up with someone else on this point.

Anyway, he was an interesting and eccentric fellow.

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AlGeee t1_j8nrvoj wrote

Reply to comment by YramAL in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

Yeah!!!

(a dear friend of mine started his masters thesis with that line… I hope his professors appreciated it)

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ADDeviant-again t1_j8nrsln wrote

Reply to comment by UtahUtopia in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

That clause isn't bad. It became famous for how bad the rest of the novel was, becoming a literary in-joke.

Bulwer-Lytton wrote incredibly long, convoluted sentences. His rambling metaphors often seem like he wrote himself into a corner for three paragraphs, then ended them abruptly. His stories are full of heavy-handed philosophy and on-the-nose comparisons. His prose is invariably grandiose.

Stuff like that.

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themeatbridge t1_j8nrnh5 wrote

Reply to comment by UtahUtopia in TIL that the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night" was the opening line to an actual novel published in 1830, but runs on for another 51 words: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which..." by dylancatlow

>It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.

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