#BookReview: The Emotion Thesaurus, 2nd Edition

Ciao, amici! Not long ago, I was one of Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi’s hosts for their cover reveal of their updated book, The Emotion Thesaurus, 2nd Ed. If you missed that post, you can find it here.

But I’m not done. There’s more to say. I read it, I loved it, and I’d like to share my review before it even goes live.

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★★★★★ Somehow They Topped the First One

I bought the original version of The Emotion Thesaurus in 2012 and was so delighted with the purchase, I selected other Thesaurus products as the authors released them. When I learned there was a new, expanded edition of The Emotion Thesaurus, I didn’t hesitate. I snatched it right up.

If you’re like me, you haven’t looked at the opening pages since you first bought the book. Trust me—look at them again. The lessons and examples are invaluable. Ackerman and Puglisi have provided an excellent primer on what to do and what not to do. The beginning offers five vehicles for portraying emotions, ways to make emotions authentic, an in-depth tutorial on using dialogue, a detailed section on nonverbal communication, and some great examples of subtext.

This is all before we get to any of the emotions. And that information alone is worth the cost of the book.

But they aren’t close to finished.

There are now over 130 emotions to choose from. Each listing gives a definition, physical cues, internal reactions, mental reactions, acute reactions, signs of repression, options for escalation and de-escalation, associated power verbs (I love that), and writer’s tips.

In short, it’s a comprehensive overview of dozens of emotions and how to use them effectively in stories. This is one resource you’ll use again and again (and again). You don’t want to miss it.

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You can preorder your copy now: Amazon | Kobo | Indiebound

If you have a copy of the first, are interested in the second, or were one of the lucky few to preview the new version, sound off below. I’d love to talk about it.