Review by Kemunto lucy -- Why Do We Quote? by Ruth Finnegan
1 posts
[Following is a volunteer review of "Why Do We Quote?" by Ruth Finnegan.]
[rbc=4]id338831-125[/rbc]
We all quote. We quote written words, oral words and we also quote words that we want to highlight. The little knowledge I had (of course before I read this gem) is from high school. One of the reasons we quote is to present reported speech. We also quote in order to avoid plagiarism which is a great problem in the literary world. These are just a few among many other reasons. What we don't know is how quotation came to be. Who started it, when did it start, where did it start and why did it start. These are questions that most of us have never thought about. Ruth takes us through history, history which we never thought existed.
I'd begin by saying that Why Do We Quote is a complex book. It's not your ordinary novel and it's more of a textbook. It's also a curious book and I specifically picked it for that reason. It is a challenge. It makes you think beyond your normal understanding. It takes you away from your comfort zone. The author digs dipper into history and unveils unexplored knowledge. The findings are well illustrated with supporting evidence from the founders of this underrated expression.
One thing that is outstanding is that, this book is deeply researched. The mere thought behind the book title shows a curious mind. One which won't stop until it gets the answers. The writing style is also good. This is an educative book and the author takes that into consideration. The information is broken down and explained in all modesty. There are written works of former English gurus, in form of citations, which show the long road that quotes have come from.
This book also has complex wordings that you have to do your own little research to find meaning. This won't go too well with readers who love straight forward books..
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I love that this book is totally different from what I am used to. I also enjoyed reading it and understanding the research findings. Most of all, this book awakened me and I now realize that even the normal could have beyond normal backgrounds. The editing is also well done. I recommend this book to anyone who's curious as I was. It is also a good book for literature students.
******
Why Do We Quote?
View: on Bookshelves |
We all quote. We quote written words, oral words and we also quote words that we want to highlight. The little knowledge I had (of course before I read this gem) is from high school. One of the reasons we quote is to present reported speech. We also quote in order to avoid plagiarism which is a great problem in the literary world. These are just a few among many other reasons. What we don't know is how quotation came to be. Who started it, when did it start, where did it start and why did it start. These are questions that most of us have never thought about. Ruth takes us through history, history which we never thought existed.
I'd begin by saying that Why Do We Quote is a complex book. It's not your ordinary novel and it's more of a textbook. It's also a curious book and I specifically picked it for that reason. It is a challenge. It makes you think beyond your normal understanding. It takes you away from your comfort zone. The author digs dipper into history and unveils unexplored knowledge. The findings are well illustrated with supporting evidence from the founders of this underrated expression.
One thing that is outstanding is that, this book is deeply researched. The mere thought behind the book title shows a curious mind. One which won't stop until it gets the answers. The writing style is also good. This is an educative book and the author takes that into consideration. The information is broken down and explained in all modesty. There are written works of former English gurus, in form of citations, which show the long road that quotes have come from.
This book also has complex wordings that you have to do your own little research to find meaning. This won't go too well with readers who love straight forward books..
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I love that this book is totally different from what I am used to. I also enjoyed reading it and understanding the research findings. Most of all, this book awakened me and I now realize that even the normal could have beyond normal backgrounds. The editing is also well done. I recommend this book to anyone who's curious as I was. It is also a good book for literature students.
******
Why Do We Quote?
View: on Bookshelves |
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