3.5
Wordcatcher
ByPublisher Description
Who knew that the great country of Canada is named for a mistake? How about "bedswerver," the best Elizabethan insult to hurl at a cheating boyfriend? By exploring the delightful back stories of the 250 words in Wordcatcher, readers are lured by language and entangled in etymologies. Author Phil Cousineau takes us on a tour into the obscure territory of word origins with great erudition and endearing curiosity. The English poet W. H. Auden was once asked to teach a poetry class, and when 200 students applied to study with him, he only had room for 20 of them. When asked how he chose his students, he said he picked the ones who actually loved words. So too, with this book — it takes a special wordcatcher to create a treasure chest of remarkable words and their origins, and any word lover will relish the stories that Cousineau has discovered.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesWordcatcher Reviews
3.5
“This was enjoyable and I kept it on hand for short time periods where I could read. the format is perfect for that- each word with a half-page story behind its origin. I will keep this for a reference guide.”
“a Simple dictionary for words chosen by the author. I think that some words have not got enough and full definitions. The organization of words in the book was so boring.”
About Phil Cousineau
Phil Cousineau is a bestselling author, editor, photographer, award-winning documentary filmmaker, adventure travel leader, and independant scholar who lectures around the world on a wide range of topics from mythology, mentorship, and soul. His books include The Art of Pilgrimage, Soul Moments, Riddle Me This, and The Soul Aflame. A protege of the late Joseph Campbell, Cousineau is also the author of The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work. He lives in San Francisco, California.
Other books by Phil Cousineau
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