Alphabet Juice (Abridged): The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences; With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory Audiobook

" Gloriously funny, insightful, informative. One of my favorite books on language that I've ever read. "

" If you liked your History of the English language course in college, or have a thing for etymology, then you will enjoy some of your time spent with this book. Of course a book by Roy Blount Jr. will have funny and interesting moments as well as obvious poltical opinion, slightly off color digressions, and the use of words that are not considered polite for general discourse. Your inner English major will have to decide if you can slog through the boring stuff, bypass or ignore the occasional crude or self infatuated cleverness, and still enjoy the observations of a true lover of words. "

" This was a mediocre book from a person who I find to be fairy funny. The was no snap, no pizazz. There are also too many tangents. People that have a secret obsession with etymology would enjoy this book, but I doubt that they would list it as a must read. "

" This is really a 3.5. Roy Blount Jr. is one of my favorite guests on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, so I'd been wanting to read one of his books for awhile. This was not what I expected, though. I thought it would be a book of essays, but really it's a dictionary. Blount discusses literary history, linguistics, etymology, grammar, and culture by defining words of his choosing. The entries are interesting and funny, and I like all of those topics. By the end, though, I was craving some narrative. I think perhaps this book is better read a little at a time rather than straight through because for what it is, Blount succeeds. I just wasn't always in the mood for what it is. "

" Imagine someone deciding to turn a web site into a book. Imagine an incredibly intelligent author just rambling for a while. Imagine having an interest in words and language and still being incredibly annoyed. And then you'll be like me--imagining that I bothered to finish the book. "

" Wonderfully amusing if you're a word/grammar/language geek like me. "

" Too juicy to put down. This one is worth a second read, if only to write down all of the other books mentioned within-why, Roy, did you not make a bibliography?-and to take on the challenge to find the 160 some errors. "

" This book was funnier than I expected, but less engaging than I'd hoped. I only made it through the r's, and even that was kind of a struggle. "

" I enjoyed this book, no matter how dumb it made me feel. It reads like a dictionary, so there's no need to just read it straight through. But don't worry; it's much better than a dictionary. "

" If you love words, you will love this book. If you love words that may not technically be words, you will also love this book. If you care about grammar and proper usage, you will love this book. If you want to know what a hoo-hoo is, you should read this book. "

" Pausing after "L" - have to return to library - will request again after July "

" This is a great book for wannabe etymologists. All throughout the book I kept going, 'Ooooh', and running to find someone for whom to share my newfound store of knowledge. "

" I am loving this book. "

" very interesting especially for those know more than one language. "

" spectacularly useful and levitatingly funny. "

" witty and amusing. I couldn't quite stick with witty and amusing (and a little directionless) for more than a few chapters. Worth skimming through, though "

" One of the most entertaining books on words ever written. I read it cover-to-cover when it came out, but I often take it off the shelf and just thumb through at random. "

" This is an occasional book - I'll read a bit over breakfast on my day off, that sort of thing, it's not a straight-through read. Very enjoyable! "

" A little less academic than I thought, but rich and funny all the same. "

" A fun book in alphabetical order! "

" Like Harryette Mullen, Roy Blount Jr. gets it that language is supposed to taste good. "

" Very funny, particularly for this lover of languages and teacher of English. It's basically a very silly, entertaining dictionary. I didn't actually read the whole thing. I got to the C's before I petered out. But I'm sure I'll pick it up again at some point and eventually get to Z! "

" I enjoyed The Know-It-All much better. "