Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1630551 in Books
• Published on: 1989-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 312 pages

From Publishers Weekly
These entertaining and thoughtful syndicated columns by the former TV commentator were written between 1984 and 1987. Though Newman's range of interest is widefrom Third World starvation to smokeless tobacco and celebrity endorsements of productshis most effective pieces are those of modest scope: sales techniques of Hong Kong merchants, the rowdyism of British soccer fans, Sylvester Stallone, "who does his acting with his chest and arms." Known for his genteel understatement and wit, Newman approaches the diatribe level on only few subjects in this collection: rock and "background" music, and the influence of political polls. His "memory pieces" include an account of his 1975 interview with Emperor Hirohito and of runner Roger Bannister's four-minute-mile record in 1954. His sports enthusiasm later wanes, however, and in a separate piece he grumbles about the "tiresome and unattractive" qualities of "the tennis louts" and other top athletes today. In the final section, the author of Strictly Speaking and A Civil Tongue adds yet more succinct and often very funny complaints about the sloppiness with which Americans use their language.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Newman's earlier books, Strictly Speaking (1974) and A Civil Tongue (1976), somewhat typed him as a campaigner for good English. Reflecting his wider range of interestsfrom the media, sports, and travel to world affairs, national character, and music, this collection of over 150 newspaper columns shows him to be a campaigner against all stupidity and wrongheadedness. Newman stands for good taste and reason amid rampant folly, and he tries to sort out how people can behave as they doblithely creating illegitmate children, for instance, or wearing bizarre hairdos. Most pieces appear as first written, with an occasional "afterword" to bring readers up to date on a topic. A trenchant, humorous, and thought-provoking work for public libraries.William A. Donovan, Chicago P.L.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Up Close and Personal with American Language
This is a collection of Mr. Newman's columns, written between 1984 and 1987. In addition to his observations on subjects ranging from smokeless tobacco and celebrity endorsements to British soccer fans and Sylvester Stallone, Newman includes more of his funny-yet-serious complaints about the current sloppiness of the American/English language. Today, in 2002, the problem is even worse. Witness the influx of "like" as in "I was going to go, like, to her house, like, before I went to the, like, beach."

Let's hope in his next edition he'll include those gems bequeathed to us by TV jocks: "let's spend a moment of time with" and, heaven help us, the all-invasive "up close and personal," which no less than the Federal Government has adopted. To paraphrase the Good Book, the sins of TV announcers will be visited upon the third and fourth generations."

IF THIS IS TRUE, IT IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!
Hopefully, Mr Newman will read this review. That is, filled with hope, Mr Newman will read and not be disappointed.

In this work Mr Newman comments on the lack of communication we see daily and the destruction of our language. He comments mostly by example, yet often offers the proper form.

I had a few problems with the first chapters but was totally entertained for the duration of the book.