The Elements of Eloquence: How To Turn the Perfect English Phrase

(Paperback)

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From the author of the Sunday Times Number 1 bestselling The Etymologicon

'An informative but highly entertaining journey through the figures of rhetoric...Mark Forsyth wears his considerable knowledge lightly. He also writes beautifully.' - David Marsh, Guardian

In an age unhealthily obsessed with substance, this is a book on the importance of pure style. From classic poetry to pop lyrics and from the King James Bible to advertising slogans, Mark Forsyth explains the secrets that make a phrase - such as 'Tiger, Tiger, burning bright', or 'To be or not to be' - memorable.

In his inimitably entertaining and witty style he takes apart famous lines and shows how you too can write like Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde. Whether you're aiming for literary immortality or just an unforgettable one-liner, The Elements of Eloquence proves that you don't need to have anything to say - you simply need to say it well.

Reviews

Sparkling ... the book offers many pleasures ... I laughed out loud. -- Charles Moore * Daily Telegraph *
An informative but highly entertaining journey through the figures of rhetoric ... Mark Forsyth wears his considerable knowledge lightly. He also writes beautifully. -- David Marsh * Guardian *

Author Bio

Mark Forsyth is a blogger and author who was given a copy of the Oxford English Dictionary as a christening present and has never looked back. In 2009 he started the Inky Fool blog in order to share his heaps of useless information with a verbose world. His books have made him one of the UK's best-known commentators on words. Follow Mark on Twitter @inkyfool.