Quoth the Maven

July 1, 1993
The usage expert's tenth book on language is another witty and erudite collection of syndicated columns (previously published in the New York Times Magazine ) on grammar, etymology, and shades of meaning. Drawing material from politics and pop culture, Safire will please all lovers of language in his musings on usage and the origins of buzzwords. He struggles to keep his conservative politics out of these columns (not always successfully, since many of them appeared during the 1988 election), and he is sometimes cloyingly clever. But he is never obscure, and comments from readers (the "Gotcha! Gang")--as many as 15 letters are appended to each column--render the tone conversational, not dictatorial. Entry subjects range from "Iron Curtain " and "kinder, gentler nation" to "winkle-picker" and "junk fax." Highly recommended for all collections. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 4/1/93.-- Jack Lynch, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Copyright 1993 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 1993
Safire is a sure-fire maven quick with the pointed pun and razor-sharp retort. This latest collection from his "On Language" column in the "New York Times" "Magazine" gathers 75 columns and numerous responses from quarrelsome and enlightening readers. These etymological and usage lessons clear the air and provoke both reader and writer into using more stimulating and accurate expressions (or, as one first-grade teacher declared, "We'll have no more blah words, like "nice," in this classroom"). Safire certainly cannot be accused of promoting "blah words" even if he does discuss the origin of the phrase "kinder and gentler" and other au courant politicisms. Both Safire's fans and challengers will be delighted with his latest assemblage. ((Reviewed Apr. 15, 1993))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1993, American Library Association.)