100 Words Every Word Lover Should Know

100 Words Every Word Lover Should Know

Product Description

The newest title in the popular 100 Words series, 100 Words Every Word Lover Should Know is the perfect book for people who enjoy reading about words that have absorbing histories, intriguing coinages, surprising but useful meanings, or have been used by famous writers throughout the history of English.

Many of these 100 words are accompanied by notes that explain in detail the path the word has undertaken in its journey to its current meaning, providing useful etymological information about how the usage of a word develops over time. Additionally, 100 Words Every Word Lover Should Know features scores of quotations from classical and contemporary authors, from Henry James and Jane Austen to Sylvia Plath and William Golding, Douglas Coupland and Donna Tartt.

A great gift for anyone who appreciates the beauty, history, and depth of the English language, 100 Words Every Word Lover Should Know will appeal to all who are avid readers and take pride in a vibrant, active vocabulary.

Rate Points :3.0
Binding :Paperback
Label :Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Manufacturer :Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ProductGroup :Book
Studio :Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publisher :Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
EAN :9780618551460
Price :$5.95USD
Lowest Price :$1.15USD
Customer Reviews100 Words
Rating Point :2 Helpful Point :7
Some words are wonderful to know. Others are once-in-a-lifetime kind of words and they should not really be included as one of the 100 words. And some of the examples they use by quoting actual text from old writings do not make these words any more useful in the modern context. Over all, not very useful.

This is Fun
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :1
I enjoy this book. I just place it somewhere where one of us (my family) might sit down to relax, and its fun to pick up and page through. Often I learn a new word -- or a more accurate definition/new usage for a word I already use.

Its inexpensive fun.

A great list with a couple of oddities
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :22
Admittedly, I am a word freak. Because I fear losing words, I bought this little book as a refresher. A mistake: There are fourteen words I did not know and two that drew less than satisfactory definitions from my mind. Now should I really admit this to the public after claiming I love words? Absolutely, an honest wordaholic is the only kind with respect.

Gravamen
Nope, could not define, but can now: "the part of a legal charge that weighs most substantially against the accused."

Nictitate
"To wink. Used especially in connection with birds...a transparent eyelid that closes to protect and moisten the eye."

Sesquipedalian
"Given to or characterized by the use of long words."
Ex., "the sesquipedalian prose of scientific journals."

Gemutlichkeit
"Warm friendliness, amicability."
Derived from the German "congenial" and "spirit or feelings"

I thought I knew gravamen, but could not adequately define the word, so it is one of the 16. The other one--not a clue, although "sesqui" is 16, and "ped" is foot, so 16 feet, but that did not take me any further.

I am keeping "100 Words" in an advantageous spot to pick up and review the old words and learn the new. Even though I am not given to using sesquipedalian words in daily speech, I can locate it in a sentence and will try to do so soon. Otherwise, I am just nictitating the reason for learning them. If taken to a jury, I would suffer the gravamen of negligent use. Even so, the judge and jury might exhibit gemutlichkeit toward me, but such an act will change nothing and I will begin spewing glossolalia toward them and the audience in defiance.

So much for time off for good behavior! I am behind before I even begin! Bon mot! That pretty much means Word up!

This is a waste
Rating Point :1 Helpful Point :0
This book was a waste. If it were better written, it could be reduced to 5 pages and not lose any of the words.

100 Words Every Word Lover Knows
Rating Point :1 Helpful Point :1
Word lovers know or should know almost every word in this book. Its really a book for people who dont love words but think they want to. The format is good and the price is right. Maybe its a good stocking stuffer for a young person who likes to read and write.

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