The Elements of Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase
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Book Overview
From the #1 international bestselling author of The Etymologicon and The Horologicon comes an education in the art of articulation, from the King James Bible to Katy Perry...
From classic poetry to pop lyrics, from Charles Dickens to Dolly Parton, even from Jesus to James Bond, Mark Forsyth explains the secrets that make a phrase--such as "O Captain My Captain " or "To be or not to be"--memorable. In his inimitably entertaining and wonderfully witty style, he takes apart famous phrases and shows how you too can write like Shakespeare or quip like Oscar Wilde. Whether you're aiming to achieve literary immortality or just hoping to deliver the perfect one-liner, The Elements of Eloquence proves that you don't need to have anything important to say--you simply need to say it well. In an age unhealthily obsessed with the power of substance, this is a book that highlights the importance of style.
From classic poetry to pop lyrics, from Charles Dickens to Dolly Parton, even from Jesus to James Bond, Mark Forsyth explains the secrets that make a phrase--such as "O Captain My Captain " or "To be or not to be"--memorable. In his inimitably entertaining and wonderfully witty style, he takes apart famous phrases and shows how you too can write like Shakespeare or quip like Oscar Wilde. Whether you're aiming to achieve literary immortality or just hoping to deliver the perfect one-liner, The Elements of Eloquence proves that you don't need to have anything important to say--you simply need to say it well. In an age unhealthily obsessed with the power of substance, this is a book that highlights the importance of style.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:042527618X
ISBN13:9780425276181
Release Date:October 2014
Publisher:Berkley Books
Length:256 Pages
Weight:0.46 lbs.
Dimensions:0.7" x 5.0" x 7.7"
Age Range:18 years and up
Grade Range:Postsecondary and higher
Related Subjects
Language ArtsCustomer Reviews
1 rating
A Must for Lovers of Language
Published by Cassie , 1 year ago
In high school, my love of language was started with an English teacher who taught us "tropes" like metonymy, synecdoche, chiasmus, etc. In other words, literary devices. I tried to find the text book she used for my own classroom, but stumbled across this lovely book instead. Not only does The Inky Fool provide concise definitions in each chapter and several examples by the likes of Shakespeare and Katie Perry, but he also writes his own examples and splashes every chapter with colorful tones of sarcasm. If you love language, love writing, and want to do better at both, this book is a must.
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