Word Fugitives: In Pursuit of Wanted Words
Her approach to language is a beguiling mix of charm and research. (USA Today)Wallraff picks her way through language thickets with a sure step and a generous attitude. (Boston Globe)“Barbara Wallraff proves herself to be a wise, witty, and marvelously entertaining guide through the jungle of English usage.” (Francine Prose, author of A Changed Man and Blue Angel)“There is a discovery and a smile on every page.” (James Fallows, National Magazine Award-winning correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly)“No fugitive word, however crafty or devious, can escape the clutches of that peerless lexical sleuth Barbara Wallraff.” (Patricia T. O'Conner, author of Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English)“This book should carry a warning sign...it contains several hundred seriously twisted puns.” (Charles C. Mann, author of 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus)“Read it alone. It might be embarassing to chortle so much in public.” (Merl Reagle, Sunday Crossword Puzzle Creator, The Los Angeles Times)“A delightful book on an entertaining and fascinating topic: how we coin words.” (Steven Pinker, Professor, Harvard University, and author of The Language Instinct, Words and Rules, and How the Mind Works.)“...achieved with as much wit and tact as earnestness and wisdom (Booklist)...an up-to-date guide to usage that can be both pleasurably browsed and quickly consulted... (Kirkus Reviews)