Life of a Language Legend

Earlier this week, I finished 'Just a Phrase I'm Going Through: My Life in Language' by venerable linguist and writer David Crystal.  Earlier today, I finished writing a post about it, which unfortunately got swallowed by Blogger.  An extreme ellipsis that had me using some choice language I can tell you.  Anyway, here we go again!

Book 128:
'Just a Phrase I'm
Going Through:
My Life in Language'
by David Crystal
(Routledge, 2009)

In 'Just a Phrase I'm Going Through', Professor Crystal gives us a snapshot of what it means to be a linguist.  Driven by a passion for language and a boundless curiosity, he follows a childhood in North Wales and Liverpool with an academic career at University College London and later the universities of Reading and Bangor.  Seizing the opportunities presented by the burgeoning new science of Linguistics, he is able to explore and expand a range of fields and interests, including speech therapy, grammar and language teaching.  Following government cuts in the 1980s, however, Professor Crystal decides to leave academia, but this is far from the end of his linguistics journey.  He finds new roles, including broadcaster, consultant, writer and encyclopedia compiler, applying his endless energy to an ongoing quest to make knowledge accessible and encourage the public's interest in the words and language they use everyday.  It is a route Professor Crystal still follows.

To me, this book was the antithesis of the typical celebrity biography.  Rather than the author being the star of the show, language, Linguistics and Professor Crystal's ongoing passion for them both was centre stage.  His private life is often the catalyst for his work, but on the whole it took a comfortable back seat and is not the main focus of the book.  This means that the reader is able to learn something about Professor Crystal without feeling like they're intruding.

Professor Crystal was a bit of a legend for my A Level English Language group and 'It's Just a Phrase I'm Going Through' reminded me of how I felt about Linguistics in my late teens.  How much it fascinated me and how wonderful it was to have the freedom to study this amazing subject.  Thanks to him, we could pursue our interest because we had access to informative, well written and highly readable books on the subject.  We didn't have to wade through the tomes that almost put him off at our age, so, thank you, Professor.

Overall, this is a funny, interesting, touching, informative book which should appeal to anyone with an interest in the study of language or the Professor himself.  It tends to follow themes rather than exact chronology, but the writer's deft, accessible style means you never feel lost.  In fact, most of the time I was completely absorbed and found Professor Crystal's positivity and enthusiasm for life completely infectious.  I was sad to finish the book and look forward to reading more by him in the future.  Just as well really, I have at least three other books by him...

Now, from one book by a bearded man about a bearded man to another.  Bernard Cornwell's been chronicling Uhtred again!

The Audacity of Hope

I've just finished reading Walter Tevis' science fiction classic 'The Man Who Fell to Earth'.  It wasn't quite what I expected; in fact it was much, much better.

'The Man Who Fell to Earth' by Walter Tevis
(Penguin Modern Classics, 2009)

Thomas J. Newton is a man like no other on Earth.  Too tall, too pale and too fragile, onlookers soon notice something strange about the purposeful multi-millionaire, although thought of his wealth often silences their worries.  Appearing from nowhere with technological schematics representing a great, and unexpected, leap forward for mankind, Newton comes to the attention of inquisitive academic Nathan Bryce.  After much effort, Bryce begins working for Newton's organisation, contributing to a huge and complex building project the like of which the world has never seen. Although sated for a time, Bryce becomes more and more suspicious of his new employer and determines to discover his secret.  Unfortunately, he's not the only one interested in Newton and his motives.

I really enjoy this sort of science fiction.  Anyone who dismisses it as 'nerdy', 'geeky' or 'cult' is missing out on some wonderful explorations of society and what it means to be human.  Unlike with the big hitters such as 'The Handmaid's Tale' or 'Brave New World', I didn't know much about the story before I started reading it.  I thought it was a straight forward Earth invasion tale, so I was delighted to find it is so much more.  It's hard to believe it's not better known as a book as well as a film, but then again perhaps I've just led a bit of a sheltered life!

The key characters of Newton and Bryce are beautifully and sympathetically portrayed, easy to relate to and realistically believable (not something that goes hand-in-hand with the stereotype of science fiction!).  It's hard not to be drawn in by Newton and really feel for him as he begins to doubt himself, his mission and even his own people.  In fact, I think his is a story that anyone who has suffered from moments of self doubt will really relate to.

The themes of distance, alienation and hope are meticulously explored through this story and yet the only parts I found a bit hard going were the paragraphs which described scientific methods.  You'd think I could cope with that sort of thing, especially as it must've been quite simple technology, but I did feel at times that I needed a sort of idiot's guide so I could get my head around a few basic principles!  It's a long time since I did my GCSEs and, let's face it, technology has changed an awful lot since 1963!  Although not under alien influence, as far as I know..!

Overall, 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' is a fascinating novel about humanity which deserves a wider readership and a place on the school syllabus.

I must be having a good week because I'm also 80% of the way through another book, so hope to be back blogging for you again soon! 

The Man with the Golden Pun

I've just finished reading 'My Word is My Bond' by Sir Roger Moore.  Some how I don't feel so bad reading celebrity biographies if the writer is over 80!

'My Word is My Bond' is Sir Roger's story of his life, the people he's had the pleasure (and sometimes displeasure) of meeting and his work, on screen as the Saint and James Bond and off screen for UNICEF.  His life so far has been a busy one and he shares stories from his Second World War childhood, his early struggles as a jobbing actor, striking it lucky in TV and the movies and how his fame led to his charity work.

I loved the way this book was written.  It was almost exactly like sitting down by the fire with an elderly relative and just letting them talk away about their life.  I'm almost sad that I didn't listen to the audiobook instead of reading the print version!  It makes the narrative feel like it's For Your Eyes Only, cosy and almost intimate.

Sir Roger is undoubtedly a total charmer and I defy anyone to not get drawn in by him when they read this book, even though it's a little saucy in places.  Somehow he's not ended up with the Moonraker, he still has his feet on the ground and the common touch, which means he knows what the reader wants and gives it to them.  Let's face it, we all love a bit of celebrity gossip, but we don't want cruelty nor bitchiness, so Moore's Live and Let Die attitude does him credit.  He tells stories about the more unpleasant characters he's met, but doesn't name names.

'My Word is My Bond' by Roger Moore
(Michael O'Mara Books Ltd, 2008)

I read this book at a really good time because I've been given a complete set of Bond films and set myself the project of watching them in order from 'Dr No' to 'Skyfall'.  My next one will be 'Octopussy', so I've been able to read Moore's behind the scenes tales while watching the relevant movies.  It was great to see him mention 'The Man Who Haunted Himself', which is a great little film that I was introduced to a few years ago.  It always struck me as a bit strange that the big star of 'A View to a Kill' had been in such an unusual British production, but now I know that was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what he did, so I'll have to seek out some more of his work.  I've never watched 'The Saint', so hopefully I'm in for a treat there.

My only (minor) criticism is that the book ends with a rather clunky A-Z of places Sir Roger and his wife have visited as part of their UNICEF work.  Unfortunately, some of the stories become a bit samey and as such started to lose their impact over time.  Part of me feels that a separate book about this aspect of Moore's life would have allowed him to go into more depth and make it more interesting, but it might've been hard going for the reader.  I think it might have worked better if these stories had been woven into the rest of the book, but understand that the author wanted to leave the reader with a message about the charity and the important work it does.  As I said earlier, he's such a charmer, by the end you'll let him get away with a lot!

Overall, this is not so much The Spy who Loved Me, but The Spy who is Loved, a light, funny, interesting read, good for on the plane as you jet off to your very own exotic Bond film location.

Now to decide what next.  I'm in the mood for a bit of Gothic horror, but whether I'll still be by the time I get to the shelves you never know!