She Literally Exploded: The "Daily Telegraph" Infuriating Phrasebook

This pocket-sized, stocking-filler format book aims to highlight annoying or nonsensical phrases used repeatedly in the media or conversation. I had high hopes for it, in the wake of Lynne Truss's "Eats, Shoots and Leaves".

Unfortunately, it is let down by its own pedancy. For example, I don't see anything wrong in saying, "His trademark red sweater", rather than "His habitual red sweater". And in such a short book there isn't any need to provide cross references, yet there are dozens of them, weighing down the fun quota.

I'm a fan of Matt but there aren't nearly enough of his illustrations to lift the tone: one cartoon per phrase would have been a lot better. Overall, a missed opportunity.

I laughed at the time, but now I watch what I say... (8/8 people found this helpful)

I couldn't help laughing at some of the hundreds of ridiculous phrases listed here that we're all tempted to use, such as, "First invented by. The second inventor is deservedly less well known." Other phrases are treated in a more pointed way, somewhat in the manner of Ambrose Bierce's Devil's Dictionary: "Quality time. Something to spend with a spouse or children. An excuse for depriving them of the quantity of time they are due. Leftover food is not yet called quality food."

She Literally Exploded (a brilliant title) costs the same, on Amazon at least, as a couple of pints and gave me considerably more pleasure. I'm also a fan of Matt Pritchett's always inventive cartoons and he's on good form illustrating infuriating phrases from "Bear with me" to "Skills gap".

An entertaining and fun present to get for anyone.

Alarming (15/23 people found this helpful)

I had high hopes for a book which pointed out the absurdity of, for example, `This door is alarmed'. `Infuriating Phrasebook' sums it up, although not perhaps in the way that the authors intended.

Is it really a solecism to describe a sandwich as `freshly made'? Of course everything is fresh at its making, but not necessarily so when offered for sale. In this case there is at least the pleasure of disagreeing with the authors, but in many more there is not--there is little reasoning for what it is included, although it seems that anything modish or, especially, of American origin is suspect. The meaning of some entries is given even when obvious; others are left to mystify. Where the ground for irritation is misuse, it is left unclear whether a correct use is also considered deplorable. Where the problem is overuse, good alternatives are often absent.

With only 135 pages and, let's be generous, an average of five entries a page, this is poor value--especially as many entries are cross references to other entries that add nothing. Nor can the book be justified by humour: it is simply not very funny.

Can be recommended only as a gift for a pendant whom you do not like.

She Literally Exploded: The "Daily Telegraph" Infuriating Phrasebook

Christopher Howse, Richard Preston

Reader Reviews:

Style guide (3/3 people found this helpful)

I laughed at the time, but now I watch what I say... (8/8 people found this helpful)

Alarming (15/23 people found this helpful)

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