[First project] The lazy detective by George Dilnot

[Jim Turnbull]

I'd like to do this book as my first project, the book being in the wanted list under first productions.

I can see from this group that someone else started this in April, the github repo doesn't seem to have got very far through the process.

Although the step-by-step guide says to contact the mailing list before beginning, I have begun the process out of curiosity and for research, and I'm currently at the stage of manually adding semantics (14).

My sources are:

Transcription: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/75493

Page Scans: https://archive.org/details/lazydetective00diln/mode/2up

Cover: Probably take this from the Internet Archive page scan above

Let me know if you want me to submit this once I'm done. Even if you don't require my submission, I'll still carry on even if it's just for research purposes.

Regards,

Jim

[Alex Cabal]

Great, that one would be a good start.

Should be pretty straightforward, nothing much to mention.

I agree you can use the original cover. Crop it above the black bar/logo
at the bottom, and use Gimp or Photoshop to wipe out the title/author.
The archive.org cover page scan might be suitable, or maybe you could
find a better quality one somewhere else online.

Make sure to read the Standard Ebooks Manual of Style before starting,
as you won't know what to fix if you haven't read the standards. In
particular, please closely review the semantics, high level patterns,
and typography sections:

https://standardebooks.org/manual

https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics

https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-patterns

https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography

The step by step guide will take you from start to finish:

https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-step

This page on common issues in older books may be useful:

https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks

Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our standards are
well-established so there is probably already a standard for formatting
whatever problem you've encountered.

When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github repository so
that I can mark you as having started.

Have fun! :)

> --
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> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/66a02c4c-942b-469f-852d-7006090603f2n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Jim Turnbull]

One question on semantics that I can't quite work out. In chapter 28 we have:

... picked up by H.M. destroyer “Hawk” off Dungeness ...

I'm not sure how destroyer should be depicted, there doesn't appear to be a semantic inflection for a ship type, so I'm guessing that it falls outside of the types either side of it (abbr and ship), like this:
<abbr epub:type="z3998:initialism">H.M.</abbr> destroyer <i epub:type="se:name.vessel.ship">Hawk</i>

I am following the guide at  https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-step. At which point would you think it's worth pushing up to github?

[Alex Cabal]

Please push immediately and send a link to your repo so we can assign
you a manager who will answer your questions

On 8/26/25 4:33 PM, Jim Turnbull wrote:
> One question on semantics that I can't quite work out. In chapter 28 we
> have:
> ... picked up by H.M. destroyer “Hawk” off Dungeness ...
>
> I'm not sure how destroyer should be depicted, there doesn't appear to
> be a semantic inflection for a ship type, so I'm guessing that it falls
> outside of the types either side of it (abbr and ship), like this:
> <abbr epub:type="z3998:initialism">H.M.</abbr> destroyer <i
> epub:type="se:name.vessel.ship">Hawk</i>
>
> I am following the guide at https://standardebooks.org/contribute/

> producing-an-ebook-step-by-step <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/
> producing-an-ebook-step-by-step>. At which point would you think it's

> worth pushing up to github?
>
>
> On Tuesday, 26 August 2025 at 20:47:46 UTC+1 Alex Cabal wrote:
>
> Great, that one would be a good start.
>
> Should be pretty straightforward, nothing much to mention.
>
> I agree you can use the original cover. Crop it above the black bar/
> logo
> at the bottom, and use Gimp or Photoshop to wipe out the title/author.

> The archive.org <http://archive.org> cover page scan might be

> suitable, or maybe you could
> find a better quality one somewhere else online.
>
> Make sure to read the Standard Ebooks Manual of Style before starting,
> as you won't know what to fix if you haven't read the standards. In
> particular, please closely review the semantics, high level patterns,
> and typography sections:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual <https://standardebooks.org/manual>
>

> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-
> patterns <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-
> structural-patterns>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography>

>
> The step by step guide will take you from start to finish:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-

> step <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-
> by-step>

>
> This page on common issues in older books may be useful:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-

> working-on-public-domain-ebooks <https://standardebooks.org/
> contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks>

>
> Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our standards are
> well-established so there is probably already a standard for formatting
> whatever problem you've encountered.
>
> When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github repository so
> that I can mark you as having started.
>
> Have fun! :)
>
>
> On 8/26/25 1:42 AM, Jim Turnbull wrote:
> > I'd like to do this book as my first project, the book being in the
> > wanted list under first productions.
> >
> > I can see from this group that someone else started this in
> April, the
> > github repo doesn't seem to have got very far through the process.
> >
> > Although the step-by-step guide says to contact the mailing list
> before
> > beginning, I have begun the process out of curiosity and for
> research,
> > and I'm currently at the stage of manually adding semantics (14).
> >
> > My sources are:

> > Transcription: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/75493 <https://
> www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/75493>
> > Page Scans: https://archive.org/details/lazydetective00diln/
> mode/2up <https://archive.org/details/lazydetective00diln/mode/2up>

> > Cover: Probably take this from the Internet Archive page scan above
> >
> > Let me know if you want me to submit this once I'm done. Even if you
> > don't require my submission, I'll still carry on even if it's
> just for
> > research purposes.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Jim
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> send
> > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/

> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> >
> standardebooks/66a02c4c-942b-469f-852d-7006090603f2n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/>
> >
> standardebooks/66a02c4c-942b-469f-852d-7006090603f2n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>?
> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
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> standardebooks/e02827f6-0a1d-47b8-a8b7-41821fab3fb0n%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/e02827f6-0a1d-47b8-
> a8b7-41821fab3fb0n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Jim Turnbull]

Pushed up to:

https://github.com/misterjaytee/george-dilnot_the-lazy-detective

[Alex Cabal]

OK, Weijia will manage this with Emma reviewing. Weijia can you take a
look at his question below?

On 8/26/25 6:10 PM, Jim Turnbull wrote:
> Pushed up to:
> https://github.com/misterjaytee/george-dilnot_the-lazy-detective
>
> On Tuesday, 26 August 2025 at 22:37:43 UTC+1 Alex Cabal wrote:
>
> Please push immediately and send a link to your repo so we can assign
> you a manager who will answer your questions
>
> On 8/26/25 4:33 PM, Jim Turnbull wrote:
> > One question on semantics that I can't quite work out. In chapter
> 28 we
> > have:
> > ... picked up by H.M. destroyer “Hawk” off Dungeness ...
> >
> > I'm not sure how destroyer should be depicted, there doesn't
> appear to
> > be a semantic inflection for a ship type, so I'm guessing that it
> falls
> > outside of the types either side of it (abbr and ship), like this:
> > <abbr epub:type="z3998:initialism">H.M.</abbr> destroyer <i
> > epub:type="se:name.vessel.ship">Hawk</i>
> >
> > I am following the guide at https://standardebooks.org/

> contribute/ <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/>
> > producing-an-ebook-step-by-step <https://standardebooks.org/
> contribute/ <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/>

> > producing-an-ebook-step-by-step>. At which point would you think
> it's
> > worth pushing up to github?
> >
> >
> > On Tuesday, 26 August 2025 at 20:47:46 UTC+1 Alex Cabal wrote:
> >
> > Great, that one would be a good start.
> >
> > Should be pretty straightforward, nothing much to mention.
> >
> > I agree you can use the original cover. Crop it above the black bar/
> > logo
> > at the bottom, and use Gimp or Photoshop to wipe out the title/
> author.

> > The archive.org <http://archive.org> <http://archive.org <http://

> archive.org>> cover page scan might be
> > suitable, or maybe you could
> > find a better quality one somewhere else online.
> >
> > Make sure to read the Standard Ebooks Manual of Style before
> starting,
> > as you won't know what to fix if you haven't read the standards. In
> > particular, please closely review the semantics, high level
> patterns,
> > and typography sections:
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/manual <https://standardebooks.org/

> manual> <https://standardebooks.org/manual <https://

> standardebooks.org/manual>>
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics> <https://

> > standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics <http://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics>>
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-

> <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural->
> > patterns <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-
> <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level->
> > structural-patterns>
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography <https://

> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography> <https://
> > standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography <http://

> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography>>
> >
> > The step by step guide will take you from start to finish:
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-

> <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by->
> > step <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-
> step- <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step->

> > by-step>
> >
> > This page on common issues in older books may be useful:
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-
> <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when->
> > working-on-public-domain-ebooks <https://standardebooks.org/

> <https://standardebooks.org/>
> > contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-

> ebooks>
> >
> > Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our
> standards are
> > well-established so there is probably already a standard for
> formatting
> > whatever problem you've encountered.
> >
> > When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github
> repository so
> > that I can mark you as having started.
> >
> > Have fun! :)
> >
> >
> > On 8/26/25 1:42 AM, Jim Turnbull wrote:
> > > I'd like to do this book as my first project, the book being in
> the
> > > wanted list under first productions.
> > >
> > > I can see from this group that someone else started this in
> > April, the
> > > github repo doesn't seem to have got very far through the process.
> > >
> > > Although the step-by-step guide says to contact the mailing list
> > before
> > > beginning, I have begun the process out of curiosity and for
> > research,
> > > and I'm currently at the stage of manually adding semantics (14).
> > >
> > > My sources are:
> > > Transcription: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/75493 <https://

> www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/75493> <https://
> > www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/75493 <http://www.gutenberg.org/

> ebooks/75493>>
> > > Page Scans: https://archive.org/details/lazydetective00diln/

> <https://archive.org/details/lazydetective00diln/>
> > mode/2up <https://archive.org/details/lazydetective00diln/

> mode/2up <https://archive.org/details/lazydetective00diln/mode/2up>>
> > > Cover: Probably take this from the Internet Archive page scan
> above
> > >
> > > Let me know if you want me to submit this once I'm done. Even
> if you
> > > don't require my submission, I'll still carry on even if it's
> > just for
> > > research purposes.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Jim
> > >
> > > --
> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> > send
> > > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>

> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/>>
> > >
> >

> standardebooks/66a02c4c-942b-469f-852d-7006090603f2n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com> <http://40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>>
> > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/
> d/msgid/> <https://groups.google.com/d/ <https://groups.google.com/d/>
> > msgid/>
> > >
> >
> standardebooks/66a02c4c-942b-469f-852d-7006090603f2n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com> <http://40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>>?

> > > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> send
> > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/

> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > standardebooks/e02827f6-0a1d-47b8-
> a8b7-41821fab3fb0n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/
> e02827f6-0a1d-47b8- <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/e02827f6-0a1d-47b8->
> > a8b7-41821fab3fb0n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer <http://40googlegroups.com?

> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/

> standardebooks/f37ffa19-fdc6-4b1b-8636-80bafcbf203dn%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/f37ffa19-
> fdc6-4b1b-8636-80bafcbf203dn%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Weijia Cheng]

Alright, noted. <abbr epub:type="z3998:initialism">H.M.</abbr> destroyer <i epub:type="se:name.vessel.ship">Hawk</i> is correct.

[Jim Turnbull]

I've now done the clean and lint stage, pushed changes up to github and have built the books. I'll now do the initial proofreading stage and see what additional errors I can find.

I'd appreciate it if someone can have a quick look at the git changes to see whether I've done the changes and commits correctly and to the required standard.

[Weijia Cheng]

Looks good so far! Something I noticed is that you should remove the nobreak class from the <h2>s and also the surrounding <div>s. That is HTML cruft from the PG production.

[Jim Turnbull]

Thanks. Cruft removed.

[Jim Turnbull]

For the cover, I've taken the cover from https://archive.org/details/lazydetective00diln/mode/2up and tidied up some of the imperfections. 

Before I go any further, how do I get the image approved? Do you just want an attachment as a reply to this thread?

[Weijia Cheng]

In this case your image was already approved by Alex (the editor-in-chief). Usually you would post the image to this thread with proof that it is out of copyright (see here) but in this case the fact that the original cover art is in a public domain book is sufficient proof. I formally submitted your cover to the database though.

[Jim Turnbull]

Here's the approved image cleaned up and with title removed. I'm quite happy with the result, but wondering if it would be better to move the main focus of the image (detective, armschair and desk) up the page, and putting the dirty top part of the image at the bottom, otherwise the title will obscure most of the armchair. What do you think?

[Weijia Cheng]

I think that looks good! Can you show me how it looks with the title box?

[Jim Turnbull]

This is what it looks like with the title box

[Jim Turnbull]

Or as an alternative with the main part of the picture moved up, here's what it would look like

[Weijia Cheng]

Let's keep the picture as it is. It looks fine and the edit is a little too obvious. A lot of our dust jacket covers come out looking like this and it's fine.

[Jim Turnbull]

Cover now pushed up to git. I'll disappear for a while now while I proofread.