Official Review: Why do we quote? by Ruth Finnegan
249 posts
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Why do we quote?" by Ruth Finnegan.]
[rbc=3]id338831-125[/rbc]
Filled with numerous citations by famous philosophers, the book unveils how quotes have been used in different cultures and religions all over the world. Also, it examines their usage in literary works, screenplays, and oratory. The author goes over the process of quoting with respect to imitation, allusion, and plagiarism. In depth, she discusses the tradition of quotation collecting. She relates the history of speech marks and highlights their importance; why some writers still use them and others don't.
Honestly, before now, I didn't know the act of quoting was a huge subject. It's a good thing Ruth Finnegan chose to write about it, and I commend her for the effort and time she put into this work. You won't appreciate my judgment until you start reading the book and see the vast research she did before writing it. Being eloquently written, the book is educative and engaging. It's structured properly, and it flows smoothly. Included are some figures to help explain information.
Furthermore, the author's extensive vocabulary is impressive, but I think she should have matched her writing with a general reading level. Every reader is not an English language professor. If some readers can't understand most words in a text, they'll become confused and even disconnected. It'll be quite distracting for a reader to be looking up the meaning of words in the dictionary every minute. An academic volume should be easily understood by any person who chooses to read it. Anyway, this work is a mine of helpful information, and now, I know a lot about quotes. If you don't like complex books, then this particular one is not for you.
Overall, the book is appealing and enlightening. The author presented her facts orderly. However, I noticed several grammatical errors involving omitted and misplaced commas. I rate this publication 3 out of 4 stars. I couldn't rank it higher because of its readability status and grammar flaws. It'll be useful for postgraduate students of English language and literature.
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Why do we quote?
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Filled with numerous citations by famous philosophers, the book unveils how quotes have been used in different cultures and religions all over the world. Also, it examines their usage in literary works, screenplays, and oratory. The author goes over the process of quoting with respect to imitation, allusion, and plagiarism. In depth, she discusses the tradition of quotation collecting. She relates the history of speech marks and highlights their importance; why some writers still use them and others don't.
Honestly, before now, I didn't know the act of quoting was a huge subject. It's a good thing Ruth Finnegan chose to write about it, and I commend her for the effort and time she put into this work. You won't appreciate my judgment until you start reading the book and see the vast research she did before writing it. Being eloquently written, the book is educative and engaging. It's structured properly, and it flows smoothly. Included are some figures to help explain information.
Furthermore, the author's extensive vocabulary is impressive, but I think she should have matched her writing with a general reading level. Every reader is not an English language professor. If some readers can't understand most words in a text, they'll become confused and even disconnected. It'll be quite distracting for a reader to be looking up the meaning of words in the dictionary every minute. An academic volume should be easily understood by any person who chooses to read it. Anyway, this work is a mine of helpful information, and now, I know a lot about quotes. If you don't like complex books, then this particular one is not for you.
Overall, the book is appealing and enlightening. The author presented her facts orderly. However, I noticed several grammatical errors involving omitted and misplaced commas. I rate this publication 3 out of 4 stars. I couldn't rank it higher because of its readability status and grammar flaws. It'll be useful for postgraduate students of English language and literature.
******
Why do we quote?
View: on Bookshelves |
Like Rosemary Wright's review? Post a comment saying so!
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