Gotham Books
ISBN: 978-1592406234
Published April 14, 2011
Hardcover, 240 pages
This book is an absolute delight to
read! On the day it arrived, I began reading it and couldn't put it
down. I gave it to my hubby that same night and could hear him
chuckling as he too was caught up with the author's captivating
introduction. The book continues by describing the different types of
puns (who knew?), their history (they go way way back), the
fascinating way our brains process puns (loved this), and how
important and prevalent it is in languages.
If you are a lover of languages, this
book will appeal to you. Puns are witty and add a new dimension to
language whether we are aware of it or not. Right from when we are
children, we fall in love with the humble pun:
Knock knock!
Who's there?
Isabelle.
Isabelle who?
Isabelle necessary on a bicycle?
Remember those? My children who speak
three languages absolutely love exploring jokes and puns in the
languages they know, and this book gave me insight as to why that it.
Relate a knock-knock joke to a child and the look of delight when
they “get” the double meaning or the play on words is priceless. Continuing to
experience that “delight” in wordplay comes from the more sophisticated puns
adults create. Pollack reminds us of this when he dissects the pun,
and we come to understand how utterly beautiful and complex language
really is. It's what differentiates us from the animal kingdom and
leaves us in awe of the incredible human brain and its capacity to
learn, speak, and wordplay in various languages.
Punning is fun and funny. It requires a
quick wit and a mastery of language. It adds so much to our speech
and writing. In the days following my reading of this book I began to
notice the different kind of puns in the material I read, and I grew
to have an appreciation for the spice it adds to life.
The book also contains extensive
endnotes and bibliography attesting to the amount of research Pollack
dedicated to his favourite topic. Because of the amount of
information in each of the five chapters, I think a few more
sub-headings would have helped break it down into more manageable
chunks for easier reference. Sometimes I found myself trying to find
a specific passage and couldn't pinpoint where in the book I had read
it.
Pollack's narrative is infectious
however, as he peppers his content not only with puns (such as in his
title which contains homophonic puns) but examples of them as he
delves into its history and semantics. Truly a fascinating look at
the humble pun.
Read my interview with John Pollack and enter my giveaway for this book on Friday, May 13!
Buy this book on Amazon.com.
John Pollack is a journalist, author, and former Special Assistant and Presidential Speechwriter to Bill Clinton. He has written for publications such as the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Advertising Age, and the Associated Press. He was named the World Pun Champion at the 1995 O. Henry World Championship Pun-off and has written speeches for corporate and public-sector leaders such as Jeffrey Katzenberg, Carly Fiorina, John Glenn, David de Rothschild, and actress Goldie Hawn. He currently works as a speechwriter and consultant for ROI Communication, an internal communication consulting firm. He lives in Manhattan.
Thanks for the review! I have a friend who this book would be perfect for!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked the book! I love puns but am not that quick about dreaming them up. Thanks so much for being on the tour!
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