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Title: Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words
ISBN: 1596916532
Author:
John Marciano
Publicate Date: 2009-10-27
Publish: 2009-10-27
List Price: $18.00
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Hardcover
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $10.93
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $9.99
Amazon Merchant Price: $12.24
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Genuine Scholarship and Light Humor
This book is a good mix of genuine scholarship and light humor, rather on the lines of Will Cuppy (and a good deal better than Richard Armour). The entries cover the lives of people who are largely forgotten except for the words linked to their names. Most of the words were ones I happen to be familiar with as an English teacher (and long-time dictionary browser) but I thought Marciano was judicious in considering some doubtful cases such as "hooker" and "crapper." (When I first heard the "crapper" story from a London tourist guide many years ago, I thought it was joke, but apparently not. )
The text is enhanced by clever line drawings (again, very much in the tradition of, say, the illustrations for The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody)
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2: Clever and Well-Researched!
How would we eat lunch if not for the 4th Earl of Sandwich (John Montagu) who combined salted beef and paired slices of bread? Mariano provides an interesting etymology of commonly-used words in the English language with a number of other examples, as well as inventing his own word - 'anonyponymous,' combining 'eponymous' (having given their names to something other than themselves') and 'anonymous' (having since been forgotten). Etienne de Silhouette was a French finance minister whose taxes "turned people into a shadow of themselves." Jules Leotard was a French acrobat who invented the skintight one-piece athletic outfit.
Other interesting lessons - when a word begins with 'al-', it likely came from the Arabic language. Examples include alchemy, alcohol (ironic, as Mariano points out), and algorithm. Jacuzzi comes from Candido Jacuzzi who created round-the-clock whirlpool access for his son to relieve his rheumatoid arthritis. Pilates comes from Joseph Pilates who developed his own system to strengthen and develop key muscles before coming to America in the 1920s. Tupperware, not surprisingly at this point in the book, comes from Earl Tupper who invented the containers in the late 1940s, had difficulty selling them, and fortunately met Brownie Wise who started selling his products at social gatherings and encouraged other women to do likewise.
"Anonyponymous' ends with author Mariano warning readers that not all tales of eponymy are true, just as not all history is true.
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3: An Enjoyable Literary Snack
To long-time "wordies," much of this book will sound familiar. This is probably inevitable, given that there is only so much to be researched about words of long-standing use.
Having conceded that, it must be said that this is a very appetizing book. Its cover is clever, its illustrations witty, its organization compact and easy to use, and its content neatly packaged.
Although not for the serious scholar - and why on earth should it be? - it'd be great for the guest-room bedside table, or as a gift to an intelligent student who enjoys writing or reading. And I know several crossword-puzzle fanatics who'll find it fun as well as useful.
All in all, an enjoyable literary snack.
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4: Don't waste your money!
I bought this book for our scholarly 14 year old after having listened to John Marciano's interview about the book on NPR. Was that ever a mistake! It contains profanity and allusions that are disgusting. Maybe Marciano thinks he's being cool or cute, taking such a smutty, schoolboy approach to what is, most assuredly, a fascinating topic. What a shame....
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5: Enjoyable Light Reading
This is a very enjoyable book to read. For every word or phrase that the book describes the author provides a short but enjoyable story on where the word came from. I have been reading this a few pages at a time and like that I can read it when I have some spare time. A friend of mine has already asked to borrow it when I am finished.
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