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wphraner's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. I loved it because it’s well-written, amusing, and educational. My nemesis word is “separate” and now I’ll forever remember (and be thankful to know) that there’s “a rat” in “separate.”
portybelle's review against another edition
4.0
Have You Eaten Grandma? is a book I just couldn't resist as I am fascinated by language definitions, etymology and evolution. Gyles Brandreth is well known for his eloquence and ability to speak on any subject at great length, so is the ideal person to have written this book about the correct use of English.
He is passionate about English and very keen that correct English is used but not such a traditionalist that he is not also excited about new words. He points out that "to speak good English, you don't have to sound like the Queen. Good English isn't about your accent: it's about your ability to communicate - clearly, effectively and (when you want to) passionately." Importantly, the author recognises that some people, for example those who suffer from dyslexia, do have difficulties with written language which can lead them rather unfairly to be labelled as ignorant or ill-educated.
The book is full of funny asides where I could almost hear and picture Gyles Brandreth with a wry smile on his face. As you might expect, the book, although quite technical at times, is very witty. It made me smile to hear how he did battle with his publishers over spelling and spacing of certain words and phrases.
There are many different areas covered in this book and the correct use punctuation was the section which interested me. I admit to being a bit of a grammar Nazi - especially where apostrophes are concerned. Every different punctuation mark is clearly explained along with examples showing the difference they can make to the meaning of a sentence. I loved all the mnemonics for commonly misspelled words and the parts of the books explaining which word should be used when. I think I finally understand when to use past and when to use passed - something which always confused me. The differences between US and UK spellings, meanings and actual words used was fascinating and I had to laugh when the author said "Some people believe that it was while studying the niceties of British and American spelling that the Norwegian artist Edward Much painted his masterpiece, 'The Scream'."
I do feel that this book would benefit from being read as a physical book rather than on an e-reader. I found that it could sometimes be a bit challenging to follow, especially where footnotes were concerned as, of course, my Kindle is not laid out quite like the page of a book. I should say though that my copy was a review copy and it is entirely possible that these issues are not a problem on the finished copy.
I am going to check this review very carefully for spelling or grammatical errors. As the author says, I don't always get it right but I always try to! The most important message from this book is that clear communication is essential. "The more effectively you can communicate, the more successful you will be in every area of your life." Have You Eaten Grandma? is informative yet entertaining and would make an ideal Christmas gift for anyone who is interested in language.
He is passionate about English and very keen that correct English is used but not such a traditionalist that he is not also excited about new words. He points out that "to speak good English, you don't have to sound like the Queen. Good English isn't about your accent: it's about your ability to communicate - clearly, effectively and (when you want to) passionately." Importantly, the author recognises that some people, for example those who suffer from dyslexia, do have difficulties with written language which can lead them rather unfairly to be labelled as ignorant or ill-educated.
The book is full of funny asides where I could almost hear and picture Gyles Brandreth with a wry smile on his face. As you might expect, the book, although quite technical at times, is very witty. It made me smile to hear how he did battle with his publishers over spelling and spacing of certain words and phrases.
There are many different areas covered in this book and the correct use punctuation was the section which interested me. I admit to being a bit of a grammar Nazi - especially where apostrophes are concerned. Every different punctuation mark is clearly explained along with examples showing the difference they can make to the meaning of a sentence. I loved all the mnemonics for commonly misspelled words and the parts of the books explaining which word should be used when. I think I finally understand when to use past and when to use passed - something which always confused me. The differences between US and UK spellings, meanings and actual words used was fascinating and I had to laugh when the author said "Some people believe that it was while studying the niceties of British and American spelling that the Norwegian artist Edward Much painted his masterpiece, 'The Scream'."
I do feel that this book would benefit from being read as a physical book rather than on an e-reader. I found that it could sometimes be a bit challenging to follow, especially where footnotes were concerned as, of course, my Kindle is not laid out quite like the page of a book. I should say though that my copy was a review copy and it is entirely possible that these issues are not a problem on the finished copy.
I am going to check this review very carefully for spelling or grammatical errors. As the author says, I don't always get it right but I always try to! The most important message from this book is that clear communication is essential. "The more effectively you can communicate, the more successful you will be in every area of your life." Have You Eaten Grandma? is informative yet entertaining and would make an ideal Christmas gift for anyone who is interested in language.
elisebkm's review against another edition
2.0
seems quite pretentious to me! also some really outdated views which is disappointing due to the recent publication date. however, it’s a humorous exploration of language and would be great for a beginner or someone wanting to get more into language. despite this, there are other books i’d reccomend before this one.
guachypachy's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
eloisechelsey's review against another edition
3.0
It started well, with some useful tips and interesting information, but the second half of the book just felt like filler content.
sophiahammond24's review
5.0
Listening to this book felt like listening to a 7-hour-long English lecture. Even though that's true, I must admit that I enjoyed every second of it. The information this book holds is very important and Brandreth's writing makes this a simple and humorous read. I hope to own this book someday. However, I would much rather own the version of this book that was published in England because as I listened to this book on Libby, I realized the American version (which I borrowed from my school's library) is missing a good number of interesting pages. In conclusion, this was a great read and I highly recommend it to anyone willing to learn more about the complexities of the English language or to really anyone who loves English.
A few of my favorite lines from this book are:
-Famously, Phillip Larkin (born in 1922) began his poem "This Be the Verse" like this:
They fuck you up your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had.
And add some extra, just for you.
-It is terrible like the way "like" has become the go-to linguistic filler of our times. It's not the only one, of course. There's "um" and "er" and "I mean" as well: sounds, words, and phrases that serve no useful purpose, get in the way of what you want to say, and can be very, very irritating.
A few of my favorite lines from this book are:
-Famously, Phillip Larkin (born in 1922) began his poem "This Be the Verse" like this:
They fuck you up your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had.
And add some extra, just for you.
-It is terrible like the way "like" has become the go-to linguistic filler of our times. It's not the only one, of course. There's "um" and "er" and "I mean" as well: sounds, words, and phrases that serve no useful purpose, get in the way of what you want to say, and can be very, very irritating.
bngoctopus's review against another edition
2.0
It starts out promising but the author's insufferable tone quickly makes for a tiresome read. Read on if you enjoy long lists, opinionated grammar guidelines and quiet chuckles.