Let a Simile Be Your Umbrella [Hardcover]

William Safire (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 20, 2001

William Safire, America’s favorite writer on language, offers a new collection of pieces drawn from his nationally syndicated “On Language” column. Laced with liberal (a loaded word, but apt) doses of Safire’s wit, these pieces search culture (high and low), politics, entertainment, and the word on the street to explore what the old but livelier-than-ever English language has been up to lately.

With a keen wit and a sure grasp of usage, Safire dissects trends and traces the origins of colloquialisms that have become second nature to most Americans. He examines everything from whether one delivers “a punch on or in the nose” when offended to whether a disgraced politician should “step down,” “step aside,” or “stand down.” Safire gives us the answers to these and many more quandaries, questions, and complexities of our contemporary lexicon.

As always, Safire is aided by the Gotcha! Gang and the Nitpickers League--readers who claim to have found the language maven making flubs of his own. His comments and observations create a spirited, curious, and scholarly discussion showing that William Safire and his readership are wise in the way of words.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This 12th collection from Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist Safire's "On Language" column (in the New York Times Magazine since 1979) proves that there is no wittier, more gracious stickler for correct usage and grammar. Though "idioms is idioms" (he allows for homey advice like "dance with the girl you brung"), Safire won't let anyone get away with "flaunt" when they mean "flout," "momentarily" when they mean "soon," or "drive-by pregnancy" (as was used by President Clinton) when referring to the overly short hospital stays called "drive-by deliveries." When "New" is dropped from New Jersey, Safire reports on the "widespread clipping of the Garden State." Reading Safire, the reader discovers unsuspected but definitively mangled parts of speech. The author sometimes spins hypothetical misuses for the well-turned phrase or choice vocabulary word: regarding words only used in the plural, "a single pastie would be in the category of one hand clapping." Looking beyond syntax, Safire notes the transformation of "down the toilet" into "down the drain" and widespread lexical insensitivity in allowing Native Americans to be slurred by "Indian summer" and the chronologically advanced by "geezer." Meanwhile, the same feminists who insist on "actor" (not "actress") would never call Madonna a "sex god," alleges Safire. This word maven often quotes readers who catch his own bloopers and those of other writers, pointing out gems like, "I could never watch The Wizard of Oz in toto." The linguistic wisdom of this celebrated publishing fixture will continue to attract Jane Doe, Joe Blow, John Q. Public and Joe Six-pack (variants discussed herein). 60 b & w illus. not seen by PW. (On sale Nov. 13)

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Since 1979, Safire has written a weekly New York Times Magazine column, "On Language," and gathered so large and loyal a readership that this, his 12th collection of columns, will have built-in demand. The columns examine and comment on language trends both oral and written, many tracing the origins of timely words and phrases. As a political columnist (his "Essays" appear on the op-ed page of the Times and are syndicated in 300 publications), he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1978 for his observations on the financial dealings of Burt Lance, former president Carter's budget director. Safire finds the subjects for his columns from his close reading of the current political scene as well as from technology, entertainment, and everyday life. He delights in catching those (especially politicians) who misuse words, but he doesn't let himself off the hook. Each column is followed by extracts from readers' letters, including some "gotchas" aimed at him. Some of these letters are from newsmakers and world-renowned language specialists. Though he's more insightful commenting on political language than popular language and culture, Safire never fails to prick the interest of word lovers. Recommended for public libraries. Paul D'Alessandro, Portland P.L., ME
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (November 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609609475
• ISBN-13: 978-0609609477
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,100,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William Safire began his writing career as a reporter, became a speechwriter in the Nixon White House, and re-crossed the street to write an Op-Ed column in the New York Times for the next three decades. He also wrote the weekly "On Language" column in the New York Times Magazine. He was a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for commentary and the Medal of Freedom.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Language Enthusiasts Delight, February 15, 2002

By 

Jill Clardy "So many books, so little time...." (Redwood City, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Let a Simile Be Your Umbrella (Hardcover)

Whether you're an amateur or professional wordsmith, William Safire's latest book will give you plenty to ponder. The book consists of 370 pages of essays and excerpts from columns, often accompanied by amusing letters from readers and critics. The essays are organized alphabetically by subject, with a comprehensive index to help you locate Safire's comments on a particular topic.

So jump right in an encounter a "delicious dialectic discovery" or examples of grammatical corruption, or a masterpiece of obfuscation. Get ready to do some etymological detective work. Position yourself as a pop grammarian and word maven. Become a lexicographer, neologic Nellie, word nerd, phrasedick or amateur etymologist.

Join the Gotcha! Gang who are obsessed with accuracy and a lust for catching error in others. Push some grammatical envelopes, enjoy elegant locutions and give proper obeisance to sloppy usage that has reached the refuge of idiom.

The examples of misused or obscure words and creative grammar range from the mildly interesting to the hysterically funny. Have you ever analyzed the lexicon of layoff including the terms downsized, rightsized, cashier, discharge, sack, bounce, give the heave-ho, can, rif, ax, walking papers, restructure, re-engineer, work-force imbalance correction and just plain fired?

Have you ever contemplated the difference between a flap, a caper and a scandal? Find out the origin of noogies and wedgies. Learn about the Irish history of "shenanigans". Review the difference between prone and supine. No public figure is immune from criticism, including presidents, first ladies, actors and television personalities. Safire also includes plenty of letters from readers pointing out his errors. Too bad the book was compiled before "W's" ascension to the presidency. Surely Safire's collection of George's blunders and bloopies is growing day by day.

Safire's collection will remind you that our language is a living, evolving volatile organism representative of our culture and place in history. I highly recommend this book to anyone curious or interested about language trends.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Box Full of Joy! by fermed, December 20, 2001

By 

Fernando Melendez "fermed" (San Diego, California USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Let a Simile Be Your Umbrella (Hardcover)

Ah, yes! Chocolate truffles, maybe. With each that you consume there is an intense pleasure followed by the realization that one less truffle remains in the box. I got the same feeling as I read through this book. It contains 229 (or maybe 230 if I miscounted) little essays, some no more than a paragraph or so long, others extending several pages, followed occasionally by commentaries from readers of the "On Language" colums with which Safire has been regaling the nation since 1979.

The essays are arranged alphabetically by title, and not by date of publication (in fact the publication dates are nowhere to be seen) which makes the mixture all the more appealing. Thus the first one ("Adultery and Fraternization") is no closer chronologically to us than the last ("On Zeenes and Mags"). At least I don't think it is.

The title of the book derives from a column by the same name, which starts by analyzing "anomaly," checks in on the difference between "arcane" and "archaic," touches on "plunk," and finally tells us about Sen. Faircloth's colorful similes: "like eating ice cream with a knitting needle," "like skinning a hippopotamus with a letter opener," and "like teaching a kangaroo to do the limbo."

The comments made by his readers can be both profound and hilarious. Following a essay on Fowler's two revisions (of all things), F. J. Ortner took exception: "You stated that "tergiversation" comes from the Latin for "turning back." I think that should have been "turning the back." The word comes from "tergum," the back, and "versare" or "vertere," to turn. "Tourner le dos" instead of "reculer." Oh, my!

Following an essay on words and phrases used to describe nutsiness and madness, Nina Garfinkel of New York, pointed out a couple of expressions which Safire included in the book, and which I have appropriated for my own use: "He's out there where the buses don't run," and "the cheese fell of his cracker a long time ago."

This is a wonderful book to give to anyone with a love for words and thoughts and knowledge and humor. It is full of extraordinary flavors and textures, it is funny and serious, and a grand entertainment.