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Friends with Words
Adventures in Languageland
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With warmth, a popular radio and podcast host shares her love of language, weaving together linguistic history, regional phrases, the hidden poetry in etymologies, new words, and stories from her life and time on the air
Martha Barnette has spent two decades as the co-host of A Way with Words, lauded by Mary Norris in The New Yorker as “a virtual treasure house” and “‘Car Talk’ for Lexiphiles.” Over that time, she’s developed a keen sense of what fascinates people about language. They are curious about etymology and revel in slang, are surprised by regional vocabulary and celebrate linguistic diversity. Idioms both puzzle and delight word lovers, and they are eager to share family neologisms and that weird phrase Grandma always used to say.
In Friends with Words, Barnette weaves together all these strands in a clear, informative, highly entertaining exploration of language. Chock-full of anecdotes, humorous asides, new words, trivia, and other lexicological delights, Friends with Words also tells Barnette’s story—from her Appalachian roots through her study of Ancient Greek, and on to the making of a beloved and enduring show. Friends with Words is an expert, good-humored, joyful book.
Martha Barnette has spent two decades as the co-host of A Way with Words, lauded by Mary Norris in The New Yorker as “a virtual treasure house” and “‘Car Talk’ for Lexiphiles.” Over that time, she’s developed a keen sense of what fascinates people about language. They are curious about etymology and revel in slang, are surprised by regional vocabulary and celebrate linguistic diversity. Idioms both puzzle and delight word lovers, and they are eager to share family neologisms and that weird phrase Grandma always used to say.
In Friends with Words, Barnette weaves together all these strands in a clear, informative, highly entertaining exploration of language. Chock-full of anecdotes, humorous asides, new words, trivia, and other lexicological delights, Friends with Words also tells Barnette’s story—from her Appalachian roots through her study of Ancient Greek, and on to the making of a beloved and enduring show. Friends with Words is an expert, good-humored, joyful book.
Praise for Friends with Words
Barnette combines philology, etymology, and memoir in this entertaining chronicle of her lifelong love of language . . . With a conversational tone and an infectious sense of curiosity, Barnette makes a strong case for the mundane magic of words. It’s a joyful account that will delight fans of Lynne Truss.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“[Barnette’s] engaging, curious, and friendly on-air style translates well to the page . . . Ideal for word and language lovers.”
LIBRARY JOURNAL
A delightful dive into etymology, colloquial phrases, new words and more.
NEW YORK POST
This book belongs on the shelf of every word lover.
SATURDAY EVENING POST
About the Author
Martha Barnette is a longtime journalist, dynamic public speaker, and co-host of the popular radio show and podcast A Way with Words. She holds an undergraduate degree in English from Vassar College, did graduate work in classical languages at the University of Kentucky, and studied Spanish in Costa Rica. Barnette is the author of A Garden of Words, Ladyfingers & Nun’s Tummies, and Dog Days & Dandelions. She lives in San Diego, California.
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