About the book
A delightfully discursive, Bill Bryson-esque and personal journey through the groves and the thickets of the English language, by our foremost scholar of the history and structure of the English language.David Crystal has been described (by the Times Higher Education Supplement) as a sort of 'latter day Dr Johnson', a populist linguist who has promoted the study of the English language in an academic and broadcasting career that has so far spanned 40 years and nearly 100 books.Now he has written an engaging travel book of more general appeal. Inspired by W. G. Sebald's ‘The Rings of Saturn’ and by Bill Bryson's books, he has combined personal reflections, historical allusions and traveller observations to create a mesmerising (and entertaining) narrative account of his encounters with the English language and its speakers throughout the world – from Bangor to Bombay and from Stratford to San Francisco.‘By Hook or by Crook’ is an attempt to capture the exploratory, seductive, teasing, tantalising nature of language study. As such, it will appeal to the ever-growing market who like to be entertained as well as instructed.
Editions of By Hook Or By Crook
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780007235582
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780007235575
- EBook
- ISBN 9780007284061
Read an Excerpt
A delightfully discursive, Bill Bryson-esque and personal journey through the groves and the thickets of the English language, by our foremost scholar of the history and structure of the English language.David Crystal has been described (by the Times Higher Education Supplement) as a sort of 'latter day Dr Johnson', a populist linguist who has promoted the study of the English language in an academic and broadcasting career that has so far spanned 40 years and nearly 100 books.Now he has written an engaging travel book of more general appeal. Inspired by W. G. Sebald's ‘The Rings of Saturn’ and by Bill Bryson's books, he has combined personal reflections, historical allusions and traveller observations to create a mesmerising (and entertaining) narrative account of his encounters with the English language and its speakers throughout the world – from Bangor to Bombay and from Stratford to San Francisco.‘By Hook or by Crook’ is an attempt to capture the exploratory, seductive, teasing, tantalising nature of language study. As such, it will appeal to the ever-growing market who like to be entertained as well as instructed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is By Hook Or By Crook about?
A delightfully discursive, Bill Bryson-esque and personal journey through the groves and the thickets of the English language, by our foremost scholar of the history and structure of the English language.David Crystal has been described (by the Times Higher Education Supplement) as a sort of 'latter day Dr Johnson', a populist linguist who has promoted the study of the English language in an academic and broadcasting career that has so far spanned 40 years and nearly 100 books.Now he has written an engaging travel book of more general appeal. Inspired by W. G. Sebald's ‘The Rings of Saturn’ and by Bill Bryson's books, he has combined personal reflections, historical allusions and traveller observations to create a mesmerising (and entertaining) narrative account of his encounters with the English language and its speakers throughout the world – from Bangor to Bombay and from Stratford to San Francisco.‘By Hook or by Crook’ is an attempt to capture the exploratory, seductive, teasing, tantalising nature of language study. As such, it will appeal to the ever-growing market who like to be entertained as well as instructed.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in By Hook Or By Crook?
Language and Linguistics > Linguistics > Psycholinguistics and cognitive linguistics > Language acquisition
Where can I read a sample of By Hook Or By Crook?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780007235582
Who is/are the Author/s of the book By Hook Or By Crook?
David Crystal
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
By Hook Or By Crook is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780007235582) and paperback(ISBN 9780007235575) and ebook(ISBN 9780007284061)