Vivian Cook

This is a strange book and I'm not sure how well it travels outside the specific region for which it appears to have been written (southern England). There are some fascinating history lessons on English spelling but many of the more modern examples don't make sense outside of specific dialects. For example: our and awe aren't homophones where I live. They aren't even close! There are also some examples of "American" example which may been regionally correct but aren't nationally correct. show more Here are some examples: dialog, glamour, catalog. In my neck of the woods, they are spelled: dialogue, glamor, catalogue (except in LIS which goes for the catalog option). Then there is the weird spelling of hiccup (hiccough in the book). I've NEVER seen it spelled hiccough and even found a couple examples from the BBC website of the hiccup spelling. In conclusion, I think this book would have been stronger if it had just stayed with one dialect and its history of spelling rules. show less

I enjoyed this book thoroughly: my spelling is shockingly bad - which caused a few problems when I worked as a cataloguer in the library! However, it has improved in leaps and bounds since I started working for a newspaper and although I still can't spell, I am now thoroughly irritated by people who spell even worse than I do.

There are tests in this books and exercises and all sorts of interesting ways in which one can gague one's level as a speller. Mine was pretty absymal by the way - show more although I got cemetery and accommodate correct I was stymied by broccoli. Which really should have a double "l"...

This book will make the ideal gift for a subeditor, a teacher or anyone else who has to suffer through the unnecessary spelling errors perpetrated by the likes of me, but is an interesting, informative and entertaining read for just about anybody - except it would seem for my fellow reviewers on libarything who were surprisingly unimpressed. show less

The subtitle is actually somewhat misleading here, since it's not actually about why nobody can spell, but rather just a series of anecdotes and quizzes about spelling in general. This is not a book you just sit down and read all at once, but rather something you pick up from time to time and read a few pages. Much of the volume consists of examples of nonstandard (or plain old incorrect) spelling, from lists of band names to photos of business logos. My favorite parts were the ones that show more dealt with the evolution of language; some of the humor essays on spelling were pretty amusing as well. I suppose if you're obsessed with proper spelling you might enjoy this one, but honestly I'm not surprised I was able to get it for all of a dollar at Borders. It's just a bit too niche for me. show less

I suspect this was an attempt to get in on the interest generated by Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss. It disappoints. I also wonder if the irony of the first review here was intended ("A humourous look at spelling and gramar.")

I shall stand by my 2 star rating - I didn't enjoy the book.