THE FIRST BOOK OF WORDS

by Sam & Beryl Epstein ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 29, 1954

Report repeated from p. 234 of the April 1st bulletin when this was scheduled for June publication reads as follows: ""An excellent first text on the origins of speech and writing and the fascinating ways they have changed through the ages. In simplified form here is word history written with accuracy and a zest that should pull the shortest of the ""short hairs"". That ""hello"" was invented with the telephone sets up the principle that words follow on needs- and the stage for a look at early wordless man. From then on it's smooth sailing into many branches of philology language development, divisions of the Indo-European trunk, how one language can influence many others (Latin, for example), linguistic similarities, word roots, the gap between spelling and pronunciation, grammar lags, changes in word meanings, how slang is made and so on. Very good going. Appropriate illustrations by Lazlo Roth."" On seeing final page proof of this, we are even more enthusiastic now- especially about the story quality of Roth's airy pictures.

Pub Date: Sept. 29, 1954

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Franklin Watts

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1954

Categories: NONFICTION