Book review: The Gift Of The Gab: How Eloquence Works

DAVID CRYSTAL is probably Britain’s best-known populariser of linguistic science.

His style is down-to-earth and lucid, and his evidence-based descriptivism is a beacon of common sense in a world of green-ink grammarians and self-appointed usage experts.

Unfortunately, this study of ‘how eloquence works’ — what it is and how to achieve it — comes across as a rather thin blend of anecdote, basic practical tips and only isolated nuggets of real interest.