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LANTERNS AND LANCES

"Who would without a thurber be/ Should never, never speak to we..." (Ibid., old song). This is strictly a luxury item for eager lex'lconeers in language whether they are curious about the author's "alphabetical sedation" (never, ever, start to begin on this, medication), or his rogering in on Roget, or his visual vocabularizing; or are fascinated by his preoccupations about abbreviationists or verbal smoke screens; or the madness that befalls him via Sengalese love birds or Stamese cats; or his dim view of statistics; or his feeling about Henry James and his revival in theater (or worse mediums); or his attitude toward nurses.....or any aspect of the life that is filtered — and exposed —- through his alert ears (lack of sight makes for more sensitive hearing). Even if not concerned with the precarious state of the English language, readers (to be flogged into reading) should be exposed to this "circumambient mental air" (it is invigorating — breath-taking too) if only to begin to understand palindromes, watch an expert juggle words, learn about the "marvelous sixteenth letter of the alphabet" (and others in the 26 that will astound), jargon that jars and communication that confounds and radio that riles — and all the "if on" added together mean it's thurbertime again- and with 50 drawings!

Pub Date: April 12, 1961

ISBN: 0060142804

Page Count: -

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1961

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NUTCRACKER

This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

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THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE

50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...

Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.

Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").

Pub Date: May 15, 1972

ISBN: 0205632645

Page Count: 105

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972

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