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The Secret Lives of Words
by West,Paul
- Used
- Paperback
- first
- Condition
- Good+ soft cover
- Seller
-
West New York, New Jersey, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Synopsis
We are often unaware of the unique and intriguing stories of the words we love. Thousands of our words have been so twisted, tangled, misused, and muddled over the centuries that their original meaning has been obscured. You'll be surprised to learn that table napkins were once made of and referred to as asbestos, that atom means uncuttable, that a cloud was once a hill, and that a companion is one who eats bread with you. Compiled over the years in his handwritten notebooks, acclaimed prose stylist Paul West offers us an album of treasures. The Secret Lives of Words is an "Antiques Road Show" of language, in which West chronicles the centuries-long travels of words across continents and through cultures. For word enthusiasts, speakers, writers, thinkers, and all readers, this volume recounting the intimate ancestry of language will enrich our understanding of and appreciation for the words we use every day.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Gail Kennon Book-Comber
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 31350
- Title
- The Secret Lives of Words
- Author
- West,Paul
- Book Condition
- Used - Good+ soft cover
- Edition
- 1st thus,2001
- Binding
- Paperback
- Publisher
- Harvest
Terms of Sale
Gail Kennon Book-Comber
About the Seller
Gail Kennon Book-Comber
About Gail Kennon Book-Comber
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- 12mo
- A duodecimo is a book approximately 7 by 4.5 inches in size, or similar in size to a contemporary mass market paperback. Also...
- Good+
- A term used to denote a condition a slight grade better than Good.
- 1st Thus
- This indicates that this is not the first appearance of a book in print, but that this is the first appearance in a...