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'Combines the virtues of a first class work of reference with the pleasure of a good read' The Times
Product Description
What is the difference between mean and median, blatant and flagrant, flout and flaunt? Is it whodunnit or whodunit? Do you know? Are you sure?
With Troublesome Words, journalist and bestselling travel-writer Bill Bryson gives us a clear, concise and entertaining guide to the problems of English usage and spelling that has been an indispensable companion to those who work with the written word for over twenty years.
So if you want to discover whether you should care about split infinitives, are cursed with an uncontrollable outbreak of commas or were wondering if that newsreader was right to say 'an historic day', this superb book is the place to find out.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
74 of 74 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Do you put 'spoonsful' or 'spoonfuls' of sugar into tea? Do you know the difference between defining and non-defining clauses and between 'androgynous' and 'androgenous'? Can you tell irony from sarcasm and 'prophecy' from 'prophesy'? If you can, then you don't need this book. But you'd probably want to read it anyway. To all intents and purposes, Troublesome Words is the same as the earlier Dictionary of Troublesome Words, with a makeover to make it look new (rather like this review, in fact).
The great triumph of Troublesome Words is that it's arranged like a dictionary but is interesting enough to read cover to cover as though it were a novel. It projects a sense of personality (Bryson's) and his values: companies' eccentric and convention-defying names - with backward facing letters, for example - should never be allowed to become 'a distraction in print'. It bears the hallmark of Bryson's distinctive style: conversational, witty and digressive. All it lacks is a narrative.
Although essentially a work of reference, Brysonisms lighten the way. The entry for 'that' and 'which', for instance, advises brushing up on those clauses, defining and non- . 'Learning these distinctions is not, it must be said, anyone's idea of a good time, but it is one technical aspect of grammar that every professional user of English should understand because it is at the root of an assortment of grammatical errors.' And woe betide anyone who spells 'barbecue' with a 'q' and hyphens because they are clearly 'not ready for unsupervised employment'.
Other books of this type are more famous, authoritative and formidable - those by Fowler and Partridge in particular. But this one is actually entertaining as well as instructive, and is also considerably more recent (and therefore more in touch with contemporary usage). It has my vote, anyway.
The great triumph of Troublesome Words is that it's arranged like a dictionary but is interesting enough to read cover to cover as though it were a novel. It projects a sense of personality (Bryson's) and his values: companies' eccentric and convention-defying names - with backward facing letters, for example - should never be allowed to become 'a distraction in print'. It bears the hallmark of Bryson's distinctive style: conversational, witty and digressive. All it lacks is a narrative.
Although essentially a work of reference, Brysonisms lighten the way. The entry for 'that' and 'which', for instance, advises brushing up on those clauses, defining and non- . 'Learning these distinctions is not, it must be said, anyone's idea of a good time, but it is one technical aspect of grammar that every professional user of English should understand because it is at the root of an assortment of grammatical errors.' And woe betide anyone who spells 'barbecue' with a 'q' and hyphens because they are clearly 'not ready for unsupervised employment'.
Other books of this type are more famous, authoritative and formidable - those by Fowler and Partridge in particular. But this one is actually entertaining as well as instructive, and is also considerably more recent (and therefore more in touch with contemporary usage). It has my vote, anyway.
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Well, one thinks they know most things in grammar, but one nearly always gets caught out. I didn't realise graffiti is plural and that the singular is graffito. Remember in future to say "There were graffiti........
33 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
An unfortunately all-too-rare example of a book that's simultaneously educational and really amusing: whether read to feed an interest in comparative language studies or just to entertain it's worth twice the money!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Do you know when to use 'further'...and 'farther'?
Every author needs this. This is now my bible. I have a ratty copy that I've had for years that my wife keeps threatening to throw out.
Published 3 months ago by Jon Breakfield
Troublesome Words
I have read all Bill Brysons books and this one is up to his usual standards.
His knowledge of the English language and grammar is wonderful. Read more
His knowledge of the English language and grammar is wonderful. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Pejay
Thanks, Mr Bryson
How refreshing to know that there are still those who care about the way in which English is written! Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr. Nigel Harvey
Amazing!
This is a great book and Bill Bryson is an amazing author. I love all of his books and after reading this one was happy to put another one to my collection. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Emzi
tickles the palette !
I loved this book! it should be every teenagers (and adults)! Bible, as soon as you start to read it, it wets the appetite for more, words and their many and varied meanings make... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mw R. Moore
Bill Bryson's "Troublesome Words"
This is an excellent book and of real use to anybody with an interest in words and their proper use. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Al Deeb
Deceptively good with a lasting impact
Okay I'll admit I'm not someone who tends to read dictionaries from cover to cover but I do like Bill Bryson books, especially the way he manages to present little facts you didn't... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Darren Simons
Excellent reference
As with all of Bryson's books on words and language, this one is very useful and full of good incidental information, all done in a typical humorous vein.
Published 20 months ago by Stephen Mcdaniel
troublesome words
Very good, every home should have one-if you have a good old/dated one, update yours with this one! interesting for all ages.
Published 22 months ago by Mrs. J. M. Wolstenholme
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