The Elements of Eloquence: How To Turn the Perfect English Phrase - Tapa dura

'Sparkling ... the book offers many pleasures ... I laughed out loud at the examples chosen' -- Charles Moore Daily Telegraph 'An informative but highly entertaining journey through the figures of rhetoric ... Mark Forsyth wears his considerable knowledge lightly. He also writes beautifully.' -- David Marsh Guardian 'It is good news that the popular author of The Etymologicon should now potter round the rhetorical warehouse at our elbow, commenting on the choicer goods on view, for he is well-informed and amusing.' -- Christopher Howse The Spectator 'The Elements of Eloquence makes a daunting, potentially boring subject exciting ... Forsyth's wickedly clever, irreverent take on rhetoric should cement his reputation as a virtuoso: it is hard to think of any other book that tackles the topic with such style.' -- South China Morning Post 'Highly entertaining, short, sharp and to the point ... all life and language is here!' Good Book Guide

'An informative but highly entertaining journey through the figures of rhetoric ... Mark Forsyth wears his considerable knowledge lightly. He also writes beautifully.' David Marsh, Guardian In an age unhealthily obsessed with substance, this is a book on the importance of pure style, from the bestselling author of The Etymologicon and The Horologicon. From classic poetry to pop lyrics and from the King James Bible to advertising slogans, Mark Forsyth explains the secrets that make a phrase - such as `Tiger, Tiger, burning bright', or `To be or not to be' - memorable. In his inimitably entertaining and witty style he takes apart famous lines and shows how you too can write like Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde. Whether you're aiming for literary immortality or just an unforgettable one-liner, The Elements of Eloquence proves that you don't need to have anything to say - you simply need to say it well. `Sparkling ... the book offers many pleasures ... I laughed out loud' Charles Moore, Daily Telegraph