Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 176 pages
- Published by: Harvest Books
- Edition: 1st Edition October 15, 1998
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0156006162
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0156006163
-
Book Dimensions:
6.4 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches
- Weighs: 5.6 ounces
Product Review
Those who find their equanimity challenged by the lucubrations of William F. Buckley Jr. will surely see their torpor evanesce after reading
The Lexicon. Monosyllabically: if it bugs you when you read words you don't know, this book will help. Buckley is renowned (and sometimes unfairly reviled) for his extensive working vocabulary, from which he unerringly picks the right word for every occasion.
The Lexicon is a pocket guide to his esoterica with several hundred entries, each concisely defined and accompanied by an example of its use from his writings, which is quite a handy feature. For example:
lucubrate (verb) To discourse learnedly in writing.
Under the Eisenhower program, one could lucubrate over constitutional rights and freedoms and forever abandon captured American soldiers.
It is a sign of his skill as a writer that the book may be read for pleasure. Illustrations by Arnold Roth add to the enjoyment, making this the perfect introduction to Buckleyian erudition.
--Rob Lightner
From Library Journal
Buckley is a wordsmith extraordinaire, his speech and writing regularly peppered with arcane vocabulary. This book, previously published as part of Buckley's linguistic enyclopedia, The Right Word (LJ 12/96), brings together a list of his favorite words, each with a citation from one of his many published works. Words like epigone, nugatory, and rodomontade will stretch the frontiers of most readers' vocabulary, and the illustrations by Arnold Roth are a perfect accompaniment to the text. This would be a great choice for students studying for the SATs or for anyone who loves language?it's certainly more useful, and more fun, than those word-a-day calendars. Highly recommended for all collections.?Lisa J. Cihlar, Monroe P.L., WI
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Reader ReviewsWhen it comes to the English language William F. Buckley is an epicurean extraordinaire and "The Lexicon" is a must for any committed logophile. Still a few caveats must be undulated Some of the words included are as quizzical as some of those that are omitted. Alphabetically, the reference runs from "abattoir" to "xenophobia"--which seems a strange place to stop. Why there is no inclusion of "yokefellow" or "yaw" nor "zaftig" or "zeitgeist" is enigmatic at best. A second anomaly is that certain definitions differ from what is found my copy of "Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary." Mr. Buckley identifies "promulgate" as "to issue a new law or regulation;" Webster's definition says "to make known by open declaration...(or) to set forth or teach publicly." For "synecdoche" Mr. Buckley offers "the single example in place of the whole; the one for the many." Webster is more encompassing with "a figure of speech in which the part is used for the whole or the whole for a part." Webster's says that "kedge" means "to wrap or pull...(or) a small anchor," while Buckley's related but contrasting explanation reads "to anchor securely." As with ALL vocabulary sources, check the definition in a dictionary before using the word! While not terribly detrimental Mr. Buckley pleonastically includes more than one form of several words. The use of both "intrinsic" and "intrinsically," "mollify" and mollifying," "invidious" and "invidiously," "stultification and stultifying" among many other double versions comes across as a rebarbative padding device--completely unnecessary in a collection this tumescent. While the incorporation of words such as "salient," "levity," "obtrude," "junket" and a handful of other less than exotic choices is debatable, the assumption that some readers will be unacquainted with them is not quixotic. However, selecting "plainspoken" for placement within such a gallimaufry is truly outlandish. It seems highly doubtful that anyone unfamiliar with such a quotidian word would have the need for such an abstruse vocabulary primer. Despite these minor to moderate drawbacks, this book is unreservedly recommended for those interested in elevating their speaking prowess. For three years I have been operating a "Word of the Day" email service/webpage (sent me a message if you wish to join) and "The Lexicon" boasted a plethora of specimens that I had never before encountered. So while all my above comments are valid, they are nugatory distractions compared to the numinous lagniappes that can be acquired from a perusal or two.
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