"Verbatim," edited by Erin McKean, Harcourt, 2001, 353 pages.

Judith Pellowe
HippoPress.com

"Verbatim" is a book about the English language, its words and its grammar. The articles are selections from the quarterly magazine of the same name.
Broken down into sections such as "Grammar and Other Lost Arts" and "Where'd That Come From? Etymologies," each section has several articles addressing the topic at hand. A wide range of subjects is covered, from straightforward commentary on English usage and grammar to lighthearted looks at common errors to articles about which writing patterns annoy a particular author.
I found that the articles in "Verbatim" either grabbed me or they left me bored. Had I not been reading it to review, I may have skipped some of the articles such as the article on French surnames. I also felt that there were too many articles dealing with "dirty words." There is an entire section entitled "Not in Polite Company." In this section is an article about the history of "fuck," an article about the use of the word in the 1940s, an article about the use of the word "ass," an analysis of words referring to whores and women's body parts in medieval literature, and on and on. It seemed like overkill.
I enjoyed Richard Lederers' article "The World According to Student Bloopers," where Lederer constructs an entire world history from the writings of his students. There is an article on "Slayer Slang," which makes the argument that the TV show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" has added slang words to our common usage. I enjoyed the section "Lots of Englishes," which had articles on English usage in other English-speaking countries. Other interesting articles covered "British Football Chants" and "Identity and Language in the S&M Scene."
"Verbatim" is not a stuffy book on grammar. If you are interested in words and language, "Verbatim" is sure to have something to capture your imagination. You may chuckle over slang words and sentences that are painfully constructed. You will certainly be taught about language in a gentle and amusing way, and that alone makes it a worthwhile read.

Judith Pellowe can be reached at jpellowe@hippopress.com.