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Mother Tongue

The Story of the English Language
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( 43,761 ratings, 3,518 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson is an engaging exploration of the history and quirks of the English language. Through humour and insightful anecdotes, Bryson delves into how English evolved over time, highlighting its idiosyncrasies and the influences that have shaped it. This book is a fascinating journey for anyone interested in the intricacies of language and its impact on communication.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the quirks and evolution of language and interested in understanding how the English language developed over time. Bill Bryson's wit and engaging storytelling style make it an enjoyable read for anyone curious about linguistic history and the idiosyncrasies of English.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Presenting a tour of English from its mongrel origins to its status as the world's most-spoken tongue; its apparent simplicity to its deceptive complexity; its vibrant swearing to its uncertain spelling and pronunciation, this book covers curious eccentricities that make it as maddening to learn and as flexible to use.

Bill Bryson's classicMother Tongueis a highly readable and hilarious tale of how English came to be the world's language.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A fresh new look for Bill Bryson's two exceptional classics on the English language.

Mother Tongue explores the quirky and fascinating journey of the English language, spoken by more than 300 million people worldwide, with many more attempting to master it.

Only Bill Bryson could make a book about the English language so entertaining. With his boundless enthusiasm and restless eye for the absurd, this astonishing tour of English covers everything from its mongrel origins to its status as the world's most-spoken tongue, its apparent simplicity to its deceptive complexity, its vibrant swearing to its uncertain spelling and pronunciation. Bryson delves into the curious eccentricities that make English as maddening to learn as it is flexible to use.

Bill Bryson's classic Mother Tongue is a highly readable and hilarious tale of how English came to be the world's language.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson is celebrated for its fascinating and humorous exploration of the English language. Noted for its engaging anecdotes and enlightening insights, the book receives praise for being consistently entertaining and informative. Described as a joyful celebration of language, it offers surprises and revelations, making it an enthralling read packed with charm and curiosity.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141040080

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 October 2009

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 200g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Bill Bryson is the bestselling author of books such as Notes from a Small Island, which in a national poll was voted the book that best represents Britain, and A Short History of Nearly Everything, which won the Royal Society's Aventis Prize as well as the Descartes Prize. His most recent books are At Home: a Short History of Private Life, and One Summer: America 1927. He lives in Norfolk.

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