How to Sound Clever: Master the 600 English words you pretend to understand...when you don't

I like books about words, grammar, etc., (sad, I know) and I was looking forward to receiving this one. I have to say I was underwhelmed by it.It's always a bad sign when there are huge borders limiting the amount of actual text on each page. It makes me suspect that the book has had to be padded out. This suspicion was confirmed by some of the content.Now I'm certainly not Stephen Fry but the revelation that "Dickensian" means "bringing to mind the novels of Charles Dickens" was not a huge shock. I knew that "opaque" means "hard to make out" (and I'm not sure that's a particularly good definition anyway). Is there anyone who doesn't have a reasonable idea what "tinnitus" is or what "tawdry" means?There was some interest in reading a proper "definition" of a word that you have heard (in reasonably common use) and seeing whether the meaning you had worked out was correct. Having said that, I could have used a dictionary to do that.Overall disappointing. Seems more like an attempt to rush out something that people will buy as an Xmas stocking filler rather than a genuine attempt to look (in any sort of depth) at interesting words in current use.

The only remarkable thing about this book is that a man who was invited to study languages at Oxford University, then pursued a career in the City, did not have this vocabulary under his belt at an earlier age. Perhaps for some, their passage into such hallowed places was to less exacting standards than it was for the rest of us. I suspect that he has inveigled his way into the world of publishing using similar methods.He continues still to betray a lack of confidence with many of these words by his use of example sentences which are supposed to turn the word from a mere dictionary definition into one which can be used in conversation, when in fact, they often do little more than re-hash the definition. Does, for example, "journalists often describe the stock market as febrile" really help anyone who does not already know what febrile means?Why wouldn't he have lifted these examples from the place in which he found them, when they were used in context? It all rather adds to the impression that a whole coterie of similarly inerudite types contributed to this project and the base source of the word was never known by the author/compiler. Either that or he thumbed his way through the dictionary looking out words that he thought he should know by now.Very poor. And worse still, it does not say what it does on the tin (sic). This book is all about its title. Don't be fooled.

This is a good book, because it could help improve the understanding, and therefore art of conversation...which many would say is dead? The drawback that I can see, is that most will not bother to improve their word power, and you could in the eyes of the majority, be branded as they would say, of being a snob and above yourself. However in my considered opinion, we all would be better off if we had a more superior command of our language. It's worth buying.

Having read a review of this book, we could not wait all that time until Christmas so I bought a copy. Not only is it informative and gives you reassuringly smug feeling to confirm what you *think* you know, it's, importantly, also very humbling to find out what you actually don't!It's an deal source to arm yourself with some Michael Caine 'Not a lot of people know this but...' tit-bits to entertain your family and friends at Christmas drinks parties - whether you'll have any afterwards is another matter!

There are very few words in this marvellous book that you could only use when the Martians land. Otherwise, with perfect ease, you could work the rest into any conversation, letter or speech, etc.However, what I particularly liked were some of the lesser known meanings of these words - woe betide any smart-alec who dares to correct you. They would instantly become de trop after your kind explanation. Essentially, it's a put-down waiting to happen.In addition and probably more importantly - the author, Hubert van den Bergh, gives excellent and interesting examples as to the correct use of each and every word in this personal lexicon.In my view, this book is protection against those with too much hauteur.

Amusing wee book for people who like words. Not sure if will increase your vocabulary by just reading, but who knows? Enjoyable read

A good selection of words. It's just a coffee table reference book really. Fun to read. I hope to teach my daughter some words from it over the years to broaden her vocabulary.

I am really keen on the English language and so was intrigued by this book. It has many words that you think you know but maybe don't know their meaning. It is a useful tool for increasing your vocabulary and making you sound smart.