If just the sight of this headline made the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up with excitement, you may be a true lover of words, language and grammar. If you clicked on the link out of intrigue because you’re not 100% sure what some of those words meant, then these nine books will also be handy for boning up your linguistic and writing skills! With NaNoWriMo quickly coming to an end, some of these titles may be helpful in sprucing up your language during the editing phase. They’re also perfect for just showcasing your mental thesaurus and love of the written word!
1. Fierce on the Page: Become the Writer You Were Meant to Be and Succeed on Your Own Terms by Sage Cohen
This collection of inspiring essays shows readers how it’s possible to take control of your attitude, unleash your creativity and overcome your fears in order to achieve your goal of becoming a writer.
Source: Amazon
2. Words on the Move: Why English Won’t—and Can’t—Sit Still (Like, Literally) by John McWhorter
This fascinating book takes a look at the history and evolution of language as we know it.
Source: Amazon
3. You’re Saying it Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words–and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse by Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras
The name of this book says it all! Discover commonly mispronounced words, and learn their correct pronunciations in addition to their etymologies and histories. After reading this, you’ll impress everyone with linguistic knowledge!
Source: Amazon
4. The Book: A Cover-to-Cover Exploration of the Most Powerful Object of Our Time by Keith Houston
The Book is an exploration of the history of… you guessed it: the book. Featuring both text and full-color illustrations, journey along with Houston as he explains how writing, printing, binding, and illustration have evolved over 2,000 years.
Source: Amazon
5. The Illustrated Book of Sayings: Curious Expressions from Around the World by Ella Frances Sanders
This book features a collection of over fifty expressions from around the world and explores the history of the idioms and proverbs, studying the cultures behind them along with charming illustrations.
6. What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves by Benjamin K. Bergen
Source: Amazon
7. The Bookshop on the Corner: A Novel by Jenny Colgan
The Bookshop on the Corner tells the story of literary matchmaker Nina Redmond, who prides herself on pairing people with their ideal story. When she loses her job, she takes her passion on the road, pairing people with stories from her van.
Source: Amazon
8. Libertarians on the Prairie: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Rose Wilder Lane, and the Making of the Little House Books by Christine Woodside
Many are familiar with the Little House on the Prairie series, but few are aware of how different they were from the real lives of the Ingalls family. In Libertarians on the Prairie, the reality behind the classic books are unearthed in their original manuscripts and letters.
Source: Amazon
9. Hungry Heart: Adventures in Life, Love, and Writing by Jennifer Weiner
This book of essays gives a glimpse into the author, Jennifer Weiner’s, personal life and how she found her voice as a novelist, activist, and columnist.
Source: Amazon
Word lovers, what books have helped contribute to your love of the written language?
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h/t Grammar Girl
