The Elements of Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase [Paperback]

From the #1 international bestselling author ofThe EtymologiconandThe 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 Eloquenceproves 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.Praise forThe Elements of Eloquence

“Besides reinvigorating our sense of the ingredients and recipes that make our utterances flavorsome, Mr. Forsyth has a flair for finding zesty examples. As he moves in 39 succinct chapters through techniques such as hyperbaton (deliberate disruption of a sentence’s logical word order) and enallage (calculated disregard for conventional syntax), his frame of reference proves admirably wide. One moment we are in the company of the Athenian orator Demosthenes, the next we’re rubbing shoulders (or shoulder pads) with Dolly Parton. Mr. Forsyth wants to drive home the point that potent rhetorical devices are all around us—whether in political speeches, advertisements or Katy Perry lyrics—and he does that handsomely.”—The Wall Street Journal

Praise for The Horologicon

“This is not a book to be gulped down at a sitting, but gently mal³.