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If you loved
Books like Word by word
A joyful, irreverent romp through the obsessive and surprisingly messy world of dictionary-making. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Word by word.
- intellectually stimulating
- cheerful
- cozy
- obsessive
- 01
The meaning of everything
Simon Winchester · 2003
An engaging, anecdote-rich journey through the monumental, decades-long obsession required to catalog the English language.
- 02
The Professor and the Madman CD
Simon Winchester · 2005
An atmospheric dive into the Victorian obsession with language and the tragic, hidden genius that helped define it.
- 03
How Language Works
David Crystal
A delightful, eye-opening tour through the invisible architecture of the words we use every day.
- 04
Dreyer's English
Benjamin Dreyer
A witty, conversational masterclass in the mechanics of prose that feels like grabbing drinks with your favorite, sharpest editor.
- 05
Saying what you mean
Robert Claiborne
A witty, opinionated stroll through the quirks of the English language that champions clarity above all else.
- 06
A dictionary of the English language
Samuel Johnson · 1819
An opinionated, deeply literary stroll through the eccentricities of the English language, guided by a brilliantly curmudgeonly scholar.
- 07
Because Internet
Gretchen McCulloch
A joyful, validating deep dive into the hidden grammar and vibrant evolution of our digital lives.
- 08
Wordslut
Amanda Montell
A sharp, laugh-out-loud linguistic deep dive that turns the policing of women's voices into a masterclass on reclaiming power.
- 09
The Devil's Dictionary
Ambrose Bierce
A razor-sharp, alphabetical dismantling of human hypocrisy that serves as a perfect companion for the delightfully cynical.
- 10
The Great Passage
Shion Miura
A warm, quiet celebration of the meticulous art of dictionary-making and the profound ways language connects us to one another.
- 11
Letters of note
Shaun Usher
An intimate, voyeuristic stroll through centuries of human connection, captured in the private correspondence of the famous and the forgotten.
- 12
Nabokov's favorite word is mauve
Ben Blatt
A playful, data-driven peek behind the curtain of literary genius that turns the magic of writing into fascinating, measurable patterns.
