Review - What Language Is by John McWhorter

TITLE:    What Language Is
AUTHOR:    John McWhorter
INFO:    Hardcover, Non-Fiction, 228 pages
PUBLISHED:   Gotham Books, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review and Blog Tour

 
FROM GOODREADS:  New York Times bestselling author and renowned linguist, John McWhorter, explores the complicated and fascinating world of languages. From Standard English to Black English; obscure tongues only spoken by a few thousand people in the world to the big ones like Mandarin - What Language Is celebrates the history and curiosities of languages around the world and smashes our assumptions about "correct" grammar.

An eye-opening tour for all language lovers, What Language Is offers a fascinating new perspective on the way humans communicate. From vanishing languages spoken by a few hundred people to major tongues like Chinese, with copious revelations about the hodgepodge nature of English, John McWhorter shows readers how to see and hear languages as a linguist does. Packed with Big Ideas about language alongside wonderful trivia, What Language Is explains how languages across the globe (the Queen's English and Surinam creoles alike) originate, evolve, multiply, and divide. Raising provocative questions about what qualifies as a language (so-called slang does have structured grammar), McWhorter also takes readers on a marvelous journey through time and place-from Persian to the languages of Sri Lanka- to deliver a feast of facts about the wonders of human linguistic expression.

MY TAKE:    John McWhorter has brought us an original and upbeat look at language.  The full title tells it all:  What Language Is (And What It Isn't and What It Could Be).  I knew this book would be interesting, I just didn't realize it would also be fun. 

With tidbits such as the fact that the written word is only about 5500 years old versus the 150000 years of the spoken word; we are taken on a wild linguistical journey from Ancient Greece and beyond.  The study of language has the propensity to be a dry subject but with McWhorter guiding us it becomes fascinating and a bit clearer in some aspects.  I learned much about this fabulous tool we use to communicate.

I really liked the style of writing.  The author doesn't "write down" to his audience or even "dummy it up" for us.  He makes linguistics available and approachable to the average reader.  His love of language definitely shines through in this delightful book and gives us much to ponder. 

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Get your copy at The Book Depository

Be sure to visit the other blogs on this fun and enlightening tour.   
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

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I'm really looking forward to checking these out for myself..

 

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** I don't have the links up to the sale books as they weren't available at the time I wrote this post.  Go to Sourcebooks' website to obtain the discounted links.  To keep up to date on Sourcebooks' specials and to find out which online retailers have these specials up and running check out this link and sign up for the newsletter.

 

Review + Giveaway - The Twelfth Enchantment by David Liss

TITLE:    The Twelfth Enchantment

AUTHOR:    David Liss
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 399 pages
PUBLISHED:   Random House, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review and Book Tour
  

FROM GOODREADS:  Lucy Derrick is a young Regency woman of good breeding and poor finances: after the death of her father, she is forced to maintain a shabby dignity as an unwanted boarder with her unpleasant uncle, fending off marriage to the local mill owner, Mr. Olson. But her prospects of even that unwanted match are complicated by the appearance of a beautiful stricken man who appears on the family doorstep begging her not to marry Mr. Olson just as he collapses. This appearance seems to open the door to a series of increasingly strange occurrences surrounding Lucy. Soon it becomes clear that there is more at stake than her own happiness — and that she is caught between two forces, one ancient and one modern — and that the soul of her very country is at stake.

MY TAKE:    The Twelfth Enchantment was not quite what I was expecting when I signed up for the tour.  I was ready for an ordinary historical fiction story and instead was treated to an "extraordinary" tale that included elements of history, fiction, magic and romance.  Mind you, we are still reading a Regency era story about the Industrial Revolution and the role of the Luddites; it just happens to brilliantly encompass several other genres.

David Liss has created an intriguing story about an average-seeming woman who is destined for quite an adventure.  Lucy first appears to be a quiet, level headed young woman who is resigned to her fate as the wife of a dour mill owner.  As the reader sympathises with Lucy's plight, circumstances take a new turn with the unexpected appearance of a wild man in the night who begs her to not marry Mr. Olson. 

I liked Lucy's character.  She was a strong woman with normal desires and dreams.  Admittedly there were a few moments when I wanted to prod her along a bit, but I enjoyed her journey out from under her uncle's oppression.  Characters were well written and well placed in the story.  The introduction of Lord Bryon was a fabulous addition who brought much to the plot.  Mr. Morrison was a definite favorite as well.

The author managed to leave the reader wondering at many points throughout the book exactly who Lucy could really count on.  There are many plot twists and turns to keep the suspense high.  Romance and mystery are highly prevalent in this lovely tale that I recommend whole-heartedly. 
  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

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Thanks to Lisa at TLC Book Tours and author David Liss, we have one copy of The Twelfth Enchantment for one of you lucky readers.

• Must be 13 years old or more
• US or Canada residents
• NO PO Boxes
• Leave a comment with your email address
• Contest ends at midnight PST August 8th
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email

Good luck to all and be sure to check out the rest of the blog tour here:

The Twelfth Enchantment Book Blog Tour

More info on the author and his other books can be found at:

• DavidLiss.com
• Facebook
• Twitter
  
  

  

  
   
  

  ~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.