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Horologicon (2013)

by Mark Forsyth(Favorite Author)

3.95 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0425264378 (ISBN13: 9780425264379)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Berkley Trade

review 1: When an authour has a top-selling and remarkable first book, it's inevitable their next work would be compared to it. It's not fair, but just the way it goes. So, in reading Mark Forsyth's Horologicon immediately following his superb Etymologicon, the former would have to be something outstanding to even compare. It isn't and it doesn't.This book is a completely different animal to the Etymologicon, which may be its undoing. Rather than taking the easy route of another circular journey through the origins of words, Forsyth here follows an average day and provides obscure or outdated words for typical activities therein. He was, perhaps, aware of the shortcomings of this tactic, as he points out in his introduction that this is not a book intended to be read from front to b... moreack, but instead a reference work to which to turn as the reader requires it. Naturally, written as it is implies an invitation to read one's way through it. It proves a fairly dull read, in spite of Forsyth's consistently overdone humourous tone. I found myself enjoying it solely when it was exploring the sources of terms, but those times were so rare that it wasn't enough to make up for the rest of the book.As a source for obscure terminology, it is perhaps a good book to have in one's library (or indeed in one's pocket, as the terms are for such immediate use a reader would either have to have an encyclopedic memory or have it on their person at all times). But as a library loan (as it was for me), it's a book that I will soon be forget, easily overwhelmed and overshadowed as it is by the perfect success of its forebear. I will not be continuing on to the next volume Forsyth has produced, but if ever he decides to have another Etymologicon I'll be right there.
review 2: A romp through the vagaries of the English language using the structure of the average working day to group the words. The introduction tries to sell this book as a reference work where you can look up the appropriate terms, but in reality it felt better to read it cover to cover and enjoy the way the author has stitched the words together.A fun read, full of subtle humour, ideal for lovers of the English language and all its idioms. less

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