The Elements of Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase

From the #1 international bestselling author of The Etymologicon and The Horologicon comes an education in the art of articulation, from the King James Bible to Katy Perry…

From classic poetry to pop lyrics, from Charles Dickens to Dolly Parton, even from Jesus to James Bond, Mark Forsyth explains the secrets that make a phrase—such as “O Captain! My Captain!” or “To be or not to be”—memorable.

In his inimitably entertaining and wonderfully witty style, he takes apart famous phrases and shows how you too can write like Shakespeare or quip like Oscar Wilde. Whether you’re aiming to achieve literary immortality or just hoping to deliver the perfect one-liner, The Elements of Eloquence proves that you don’t need to have anything important to say—you simply need to say it well.

In an age unhealthily obsessed with the power of substance, this is a book that highlights the importance of style.

• Horologicon: A Day's Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language
• The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language
• Style: The Basics of Clarity and Grace (5th Edition)
• Native Guard: Poems
• A Short History of Drunkenness: How, Why, Where, and When Humankind Has Gotten Merry from the Stone Age to the Present
• The Elements of Eloquence
• Several Short Sentences About Writing
• Dictionary of Word Origins: The Histories of More Than 8,000 English-Language Words
• The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English
• The Best American Essays, College Edition