Reading the OED by Ammon Shea audiobook

Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages

By Ammon Shea
Read by William Dufris

HarperAudio
5.15 Hours • Unabridged
Format : Digital Download (In Stock)
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  • $21.99
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    ISBN: 9780061735882

"I'm reading the OED so you don't have to. If you are interested in vocabulary that is both spectacularly useful and beautifully useless, read on..." So reports Ammon Shea, the tireless, word-obsessed, and more than slightly masochistic author of Reading the OED. The word lover's Mount Everest, the OED has enthralled logophiles since its initial publication 80 years ago. Weighing in at 137 pounds, it is the dictionary to end all dictionaries. In 26 chapters filled with sharp wit, sheer delight, and a documentarian's keen eye, Shea shares his year inside the OED, delivering a hair-pulling, eye-crossing account of reading every word, and revealing the most obscure, hilarious, and wonderful gems he discovers along the way.

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Summary

Summary

An AudioFile Earphones Award winner

"I'm reading the OED so you don't have to. If you are interested in vocabulary that is both spectacularly useful and beautifully useless, read on..."

So reports Ammon Shea, the tireless, word-obsessed, and more than slightly masochistic author of Reading the OED. The word lover's Mount Everest, the OED has enthralled logophiles since its initial publication 80 years ago. Weighing in at 137 pounds, it is the dictionary to end all dictionaries.

In 26 chapters filled with sharp wit, sheer delight, and a documentarian's keen eye, Shea shares his year inside the OED, delivering a hair-pulling, eye-crossing account of reading every word, and revealing the most obscure, hilarious, and wonderful gems he discovers along the way.

Editorial Reviews

Editorial Reviews

“Oddly inspiring…Shea has walked the wildwood of our gnarled, ancient speech and returned singing incomprehensible sounds in a language that turns out to be our own.” —New York Times Book Review
“Delicious…a lively lexicon.” —O, The Oprah Magazine
“Readworthy.” —New York Times Magazine
“Shea describes his experiences reading in his local library as well as the reactions of his friends to his yearlong project. Best of all, Dufris reads every word with enthusiasm, tempting the listener to delve into a dictionary just for the fun of it.” —AudioFile

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Author

Author Bio: Ammon Shea

Author Bio: Ammon Shea

Ammon Shea is the author of two previous books on obscure words, Depraved English and Insulting English (written with Peter Novobatzky). He read his first dictionary, Merriam-Webster’s Second International, ten years ago, and followed it up with the sequel, Webster’s Third International.

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Details

Details

Available Formats : Digital Download
Runtime: 5.15
Audience: Adult
Language: English

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