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More copies of this ISBN:This title in other formats:Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pagesby Ammon Shea
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:An obsessive word lover's account of reading the Oxford English Dictionary cover to cover. "I'm reading the OED so you don't have to. If you are interested in vocabulary that is both spectacularly useful and beautifully useless, read on..." So reports Ammon Shea, the tireless, word-obsessed, and more than slightly masochistic author of Reading the OED. The word lover's Mount Everest, the OED has enthralled logophiles since its initial publication 80 years ago. Weighing in at 137 pounds, it is the dictionary to end all dictionaries. In 26 chapters filled with sharp wit, sheer delight, and a documentarian's keen eye, Shea shares his year inside the OED, delivering a hair-pulling, eye-crossing account of reading every word, and revealing the most obscure, hilarious, and wonderful gems he discovers along the way. Book News Annotation:To enthusiast Shea, the 137 pounds is as nothing, the tiny print is
no impediment, and getting through the nearly 22,000 pages is just a
labor of love. Working on the idea that you always imitate the source
of your inspiration and power, Shea plowed through all said pages and
managed to do so in one year and arranged some of his chief findings
in alphabetical order, from whence we come to learn such terms as
"father-better" and "twi-thought." Much better than a word-a-day
approach, and containing infinitely more clever ideas and usage,
Shea's treatment features a wry approach to his love of the language
and what appears to be a staggering amount, literally, of caffeine.
Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Synopsis:With sharp wit, sheer delight, and a keen eye, Shea shares his year inside the "Oxford English Dictionary," delivering a hair-pulling, eye-crossing account of reading every word, and revealing the most obscure, hilarious, and wonderful gems he discovers along the way. About the AuthorAmmon Shea is the author of two previous books on obscure words, Depraved English and Insulting English (written with Peter Novobatzky). He read his first dictionary, Merriam Webster's Second International, ten years ago, and followed it up with the sequel, Webster's Third International. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!
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