- Hardcover: 336 pages
- Publisher: HarperPress; illustrated edition edition (1 May 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007235585
- ISBN-13: 978-0007235582
- Product Dimensions: 22 x 16.2 x 3.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 511,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
By Hook Or By Crook: A Journey in Search of English
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Product Description
Review
‘Every page of Crystal’s book contains some linguistic curiosity or flight of fancy. He should go walkie-talkie more often. Another 100 books of this kind would not be too many.’ Financial Times
‘[An] excellent, discursive new book [by] one of England's greatest living language commentators…Crystal's accessible and lively style belies his academic rigour.’ The New Statesman
‘Crystal proves an entertaining companion…It is pleasant to ramble with him along the byways of language.’ The Tablet
'[Crystal] is more than just the Dr Johnson of our age, a linguistic expert who never takes a day off from considering language in all its aspects, and even hears sheep bleat in a Welsh accent.' The Sunday Herald
'”By Hook or By Crook” is autobiographical-whimsical-quizzical-oddsandendsical.' Times Higher Education Supplement
'Crystal is a clever, entertaining and amusing companion for any[one] strolling through the English language.' Church Review
Financial Times
'Every page of Crystal's book contains some linguistic curiosity
or flight of fancy.'
or flight of fancy.'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
David Crystal has written an entertaining travelogue of selected part of (mostly) England and Wales. The reader accompanies Crystal as he meanders around various small towns (Haye on Wye, Stratford on Avon etc), finding many interesting places along the way and recounting many tales and anecdotes about place names and other linguistic curiosities. Crystal makes an amusing travel companion, perhaps with similarities to Michael Palin or Richard Bryson, and one gets the impression of a man with a fund of stories who would be a useful talking guide-book on any possible journey around Britain.
Although I enjoyed reading this book, it is difficult to see what happened to the Sebald inspiration claimed by the author. Sebald writes meditative, reflective books which lead the reader into contemplating the big issues of life and death - the actual locations and histories he recounts being almost incidental to the inner state of mind aroused along the way. This book on the other hand is an energetic tour through linguistic highways and byways, with fact after fact piled on in an almost random fashion, making it difficult to see the whole picture. By Hook or By Crook is definitely an entertaining read, but as with so many books about the origins of the English (or any other) language, unless one has a formidable memory for random facts, little of it will remain when the final page has been read. While the derivation of "Lichfield" for example is undoubtedly of passing interest, a week after reading the book I can recall little of it, nor can I quite see why I needed to know in the first place.
I read this book on holiday and it was perfect for picking up and putting down again a few minutes later. It does not demand too much in the way of concentration and would make an excellent gift for anyone with an interest in words and their meanings.
Although I enjoyed reading this book, it is difficult to see what happened to the Sebald inspiration claimed by the author. Sebald writes meditative, reflective books which lead the reader into contemplating the big issues of life and death - the actual locations and histories he recounts being almost incidental to the inner state of mind aroused along the way. This book on the other hand is an energetic tour through linguistic highways and byways, with fact after fact piled on in an almost random fashion, making it difficult to see the whole picture. By Hook or By Crook is definitely an entertaining read, but as with so many books about the origins of the English (or any other) language, unless one has a formidable memory for random facts, little of it will remain when the final page has been read. While the derivation of "Lichfield" for example is undoubtedly of passing interest, a week after reading the book I can recall little of it, nor can I quite see why I needed to know in the first place.
I read this book on holiday and it was perfect for picking up and putting down again a few minutes later. It does not demand too much in the way of concentration and would make an excellent gift for anyone with an interest in words and their meanings.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've read a number of David Crystal's more scholarly books so this one was a surprise. It's a sort of stream of consciousness book by a person on a trip round eastern England and Wales who loves language and its interaction with the history of a country. It's full of interesting facts and observations and is a very enjoyable read. No theme is explored in any depth as the writer's divergent mind flits from one topic to another as his memories and knowledge are triggered by the places and people he visits. It's a book that can be read in snippets as the chapters are largely self-contained.
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Another gem by David Crystal - this time he looks at the different dialect forms that can be found within a very short geographical area. As ever, very readable and filled with humour.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Interesting but...
An interesting book, full of more of Crystal's insights and expertise.
But I found it a touch too self-congratulary...but maybe that's just me.
But I found it a touch too self-congratulary...but maybe that's just me.
Published 19 months ago by A. Jackson
Thoughly recommended musings of David Crystal
This is a book which I really enjoyed, yet it's difficult to convey in a review how that is. It comes across as a set of thoughts that Crystal has as he sees things which trigger... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. N. J. Horne
English as she has come to be spoke
A rather idiosyncratic book but really interesting if you are interested in the history of Engish words.
Published on 5 April 2009 by Michael Waghorne
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