Lucifer's Dictionary Of The American Language

Burton H. Wolfe

Wild West Publishing House

PO Box 642836, San Francisco, CA 94164-2836

711 Eddy Street, Apartment 13E, San Francisco, CA 94109-7845 (Author)

1419619748 $15.00 415-921-5629 http://burtonhwolf.blogspot.com

Lucifer's Dictionary Of The American Language is not a standard reference dictionary. Rather it is a compilation of nasty insights into American society and culture, and how ordinary words have veiled "true" meanings that reflect devil-worthy selfishness. From arbitration ("a procedure enabling opponents to scream bloody murder at each other before going to trial and being inhibited by the decorum imposed in court") to yard ("A plot of dirt, grass, flowers, trees, shrubs, weeds and the like which Americans keep in front or back of their house for use as a spouse, child and dog dumping ground, and also for the convenience of the neighbors' cats"), each entry is delicious with irony, subtext, wit, and scorn for the self-absorbed. Enthusiastically recommended.

COPYRIGHT 2006 Midwest Book Review
COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group