I was given this fun, nostalgic and potentially very useful book for Christmas, and I've enjoyed dipping in and out of it.
The mnemonics and aide-memoires in ` I Before E (Except After C)', are divided into thematic sections such as `Animal, Vegetable, Mineral' and `Musical Interlude', and include everything from practical ways of remembering spellings and scientific formulae to old-fashioned rhymes to remind one of delightfully pointless information.
The factor that really limits the usefulness of the book as a reference work, is the absence of any sort of index. Let's say, for example, you're after an easy way to remember trigonometry. All you can do to locate the information is to identify the chapter it's likely to be listed in, and flick your way through that until you stumble upon it. Despite this minor frustration, the book is ideal for anyone wishing to find better, or more fun ways of recalling key facts - from fans of trivia to older people struggling with memories less reliable than they used to be. In fact, every household should have one - in the smallest room and on the book shelf.
