Customer Reviews

The Evasion-English Dictionary

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If your bedside table pile includes Bierce and Mencken, you'll want to add this book to the stack. It's a pleasurable skewering of evasive language (even when it's your evasions that are the ones, like, being skewered), done with such gorgeous logic and good humor that you DO feel the terrible urge to read bits of it out loud to those nearest and dearest to you. Ignore that urge and give those near and dear their own copies. (Just don't be surprised when they start to read aloud to YOU.)

In this witty and extremely funny little book, Maggie Balistreri, has been able to step back and listen, really listen, to not only what we, as a culture, are saying, but how we say it, and bring it all home, to our attention.

Balistreri not only has provided humorous examples of office-speak, relationship banter, parenting jibberish, and teen-speak, but she makes you think about what you are saying, really.

Two of my favorite sections are "whatever" and "like." I had no idea there were that many different meanings attached to the word "whatever." And, "like" is my favorite pet peeve of today's English.

The book is such a delightful read, I could hardly put it down, and was unable to resist reading passages to my friends, especially those whose speach patterns were found in the book.

The book was so enjoyable, I could not resist a second read as well.

Well worth your time and money.

At first glance this book may seem to be just another funny little mock dictionary. It is funny, and it is a little mock dictionary of sorts. But when you sit down and start reading it, you begin to realize that it's much much more. Balistreri has written a subtle, sophisticated and clever commentary -- that's very fun to read -- on how we use the simplest and most benign-seeming words to evade the truth. Not so much to lie to others as to lie to ourselves, to lie about ourselves and what we're truly thinking.

We all know that we don't always say what we mean, but Balistreri shows just how often we do this -- more often than you think! -- and how often these (self-)deceptions lurk behind our use of the basic elements of language. Happily, Balistreri presents these thought-provoking revelations in a highly entertaining, bitingly humorous way. This is the kind of book that's so smart and funny that you'll repeatedly have the urge to read passages aloud to the nearest victim.

Contrary to what the author thinks, I blame the viral use of the word 'like' - the precursor to the computer virus - on ... Shaggy from Scooby-Doo. Who didn't let that little munchy craving, paranoid pothead infect us all?

The word is everywhere, ubiquitous, nonsense and useless. Finally, finally, finally, someone exposes the term for what it is - evasion. She breaks it down and reveals its many uses. Other terms such as 'whatever' are give due treatment as well. The book is linguistically sound and is humorous, if you get the joke.

I cannot recommend this book enough if you wish to expose the virus and root it out of your vocabulary.

I, like, really liked this book. Balistreri's Evasion English Dictionary is a whip smart, witty expose of how we don't say-say exactly what we mean. To prove her point, Balistreri provides hilarious examples of office-speak, relationship banter, and parenting jibberish that read like dialogue from an Ionesco play. Whatever. I can't wait for the movie.

The whole book is provocative and hilarious, but I think the "like" section is its crown jewel(she details ten uses of this beloved discourse particle). Her examples of "the undercutting 'like,'" which allows the user to apologize for knowing something, made me shriek with laughter. Here's one:

"I think it's like, N-i-e-t-z, then s-c-h-e, or something. I don't know."

You're one smart cookie, Maggie Balistreri!

Balistreri highlights the subtle nuances that set the English language apart from all others. People seldom realize that they speak English so poorly, even those who are masters of grammar usage. I think this book should be required reading for all higher level high school English classes. It really points out just how much we abuse and misuse our language.

I liked the book, althought some of the sections seemed stretched. My only real complaint is over the price ... . Pulling the pamphlet sized book from the Amazon box left me feeling a bit cheated.

I bought this ages ago from a catalog as it was described as "hilarious" and a romp through what we don't realize we're revealing. I finally picked it up tonight and feel the fool for having wasted my money. I found it neither funny nor a romp. I did, however, find it over-simplified, pretentious, and judgmental. Is that direct enough, Madame Author?

"The Evasion Dictionary" by Maggie Balistreri is a excellent volume to aid authors in the construction of dialogue. How does a character answer a tough question without telling all of the truth, yet not lying? A gold mine of illustrations that will spark the most staid of imaginations.
This is a book to read in-as-of-itself, it trains the ear to eavesdrop with perception. A fine addition to a sparse field.
Nash Black, author of "Qualifying Laps" and "Taxes, Stumbling Blocks & Pitfalls for Authors 2007."