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The Revenge of Anguished English: More Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language
Richard Lederer has been called Attila the Pun, Conan the Grammarian, and the Viceroy of Verbivores. In The Revenge of Anguished English , this "Abbot of Absurdity" (as People magazine has dubbed him) leaves us limp with laughter at how the innocent, the negligent, and the pompous mangle the English language. True to the code of this super-duper blooper snooper, all the fluffs and flubs, goofs and gaffes, and blunders, botches, boo-boos, and bloopers are genuine, authentic, certified, and unretouched. Nothing has been made up!
* Student blooper: The four gospels are written by John, Paul, George, and that other guy.
* Science blooper: Elephants eat roots, leaves, grasses, and sometimes bark.
* In a church bulletin: Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.
* A headline howler: DENVER CHAPTER WILL HAVE SENATOR FOR BREAKFAST
* On a frozen food package: Defrost your frozen food before eating.
* Misplaced modifier: Children should not drive golf carts under the age of sixteen.
* Spelling error: The driver of the car was cited for wreckless driving.
* Student blooper: The four gospels are written by John, Paul, George, and that other guy.
* Science blooper: Elephants eat roots, leaves, grasses, and sometimes bark.
* In a church bulletin: Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.
* A headline howler: DENVER CHAPTER WILL HAVE SENATOR FOR BREAKFAST
* On a frozen food package: Defrost your frozen food before eating.
* Misplaced modifier: Children should not drive golf carts under the age of sixteen.
* Spelling error: The driver of the car was cited for wreckless driving.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2005
12 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Richard Lederer
86 books68 followersRichard Lederer is the author of more than 35 books about language, history, and humor, including his best-selling Anguished English series and his current book, The Gift of Age. He has been profiled in magazines as diverse as The New Yorker, People, and the National Enquirer and frequently appears on radio as a commentator on language. He has been named International Punster of the Year and Toastmasters International's Golden Gavel winner.
He is the father of author and poet Katy Lederer and poker players Howard Lederer and Annie Duke.
He is the father of author and poet Katy Lederer and poker players Howard Lederer and Annie Duke.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 8, 2022
Although Richard Lederer's The Revenge of Anguished English: More Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language is once again and delightfully full full full of a plethora of often laugh out loud funny and diverting English language gaffes, it must also be pointed out that the massive litany of them does indeed tend to become a bit dragging and tedious as The Revenge of Anguished English: More Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language proceeds and moves on (or at least this has certainly been the case with and for me and indeed with ALL of Richard Lederer's Anguished English books). And yes, this particular scenario is also precisely why I do not usually tend to read humorous books on language based mistakes straight through (in one setting), but rather in bits and pieces, in small and thus also manageable chunks (which for me keeps the presented humour relatively fresh, relatively lively, and equally avoids monotony and one-sidedness).
Furthermore (and truly most annoyingly and frustratingly) and just like with Richard Lederer's first tome containing in its title the appellation of Anguished English, just like with his, with Lederer's Anguished English: An Anthology of Accidental Assaults upon Our Language, although I have of course and naturally in The Revenge of Anguished English: More Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language once again very much enjoyed and laughed at the oh so very many featured student bloopers, I really and truly do at the same time take a bit personal umbrage at the fact that ALL of Richard Lederer's compiled educational setting language mistakes in The Revenge of Anguished English: More Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language ONLY present student mistakes and NEVER feature any mistakes made by teachers, professors, teaching assistants, laboratory technicians etc. For guess what, it is NOT only students who make language based gaffes, who massacrer the English language (as we teachers and professors do this as well and should not be ashamed admitting this), and really, if Richard Lederer were in fact and truly fair-minded, he would both acknowledge this fact of educational life and equally therefore also feature a balanced combination both student and instructor language bloopers and mistakes in his The Revenge of Anguished English: More Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language.
Furthermore (and truly most annoyingly and frustratingly) and just like with Richard Lederer's first tome containing in its title the appellation of Anguished English, just like with his, with Lederer's Anguished English: An Anthology of Accidental Assaults upon Our Language, although I have of course and naturally in The Revenge of Anguished English: More Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language once again very much enjoyed and laughed at the oh so very many featured student bloopers, I really and truly do at the same time take a bit personal umbrage at the fact that ALL of Richard Lederer's compiled educational setting language mistakes in The Revenge of Anguished English: More Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language ONLY present student mistakes and NEVER feature any mistakes made by teachers, professors, teaching assistants, laboratory technicians etc. For guess what, it is NOT only students who make language based gaffes, who massacrer the English language (as we teachers and professors do this as well and should not be ashamed admitting this), and really, if Richard Lederer were in fact and truly fair-minded, he would both acknowledge this fact of educational life and equally therefore also feature a balanced combination both student and instructor language bloopers and mistakes in his The Revenge of Anguished English: More Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language.
March 15, 2020
Funnier in concept than to read, though there were bits that made me laugh out loud.
August 3, 2013
Hilarious! So many people (myself included)love good grammar, and cringe (yet delight)in the slaying of our dear English. This book gives hundreds of examples of why details such as punctuation, correct spelling,and correctly placed modifiers are important. I was giggling enough that my husband had to come in and see what was going on. It was due to tidbits such as:
"During the summer, my sister and I milked the cows, but now my father milks the cows in the morning and us at night."
A point in favor of using the serial comma:
In a book dedication: "I'd like to thank my parents, Ayn Rand and God."
Hilarious Headlines:
"Lack of brains hinders research"
"During the summer, my sister and I milked the cows, but now my father milks the cows in the morning and us at night."
A point in favor of using the serial comma:
In a book dedication: "I'd like to thank my parents, Ayn Rand and God."
Hilarious Headlines:
"Lack of brains hinders research"
December 21, 2008
I LOVE this book, like I loved Anguished English before. You have to be careful where you read it though, because you can't help but laugh out loud. I was reading today while my grandson took a nap. Soon I had tears running down my cheeks while I tried not to wake him up by laughing too loud. Thanks for the humor therapy!
February 17, 2009
This was hysterically funny at times but other times felt too long. By the end I was sort of feeling like yes, people mess up their wordamabobs, but whatever :-)
on the other hand, for a while I was laughing a lot.
on the other hand, for a while I was laughing a lot.
September 14, 2011
Not quite on par with his first Anguished English, but it has its moments. Many "kiddisms" have been circulating on the internet for years without credit to Lederer.
Oldie but goodie: "Romeo's last wish was to be laid by Juliet."
Oldie but goodie: "Romeo's last wish was to be laid by Juliet."
March 13, 2011
Lederer's introductions to the chapters can get a little tedious at times, but the bloopers themselves are always first-rate. If you think this sort of thing is funny, you should be sure to check out the blog damnyouautocorrect.com, though, which is the Anguished English for the digital age!
February 1, 2009
ROFLOL.
February 8, 2009
Not as good as the first in the series, but fun.
March 14, 2009
If you need a little giggle, this is the book for you. Guaranteed to lighten your day. Lederer's examples of the mis-spoken and mis-printed are sure to amuse!
Want to read
June 1, 2009The Revenge of Anguished English: More Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language by Richard Lederer (2005)
July 22, 2011
Lots of repeats in this later book in the series. Good but not great like the earlier books.
January 4, 2018
As always Richard Lederer has compiled a wonderful collection of language-based humor. Chapters are: I kid you not; The gift of gaffes; The power of the press; Lost in translation; Eh, what’s that you say?
Among the Science Fantasies, contributed initially by students in exams, essays, etc.:
Gravity is a pulling type thing that makes sure that the planets don't fall or hurt anything.
Before Galileo, no one could see the Moon.
A vibration is a motion that cannot make up its mind which way it wants to go.
To most people solutions mean finding the answers. But to chemists solutions are things that are still mixed up.
In That's No Excuse, reasons for students' absences include:
Please excuse Raoul from school yesterday. He had a stomach egg.
Stanley had to miss some school. He had an attack of whooping cranes in his chest.
Ralph was absent because he had a sore trout.
Please excuse Stanley. The basement of our house flooded where the children sleep so they had to be evaporated.
Paulie was late because he was not too early. He is never in no hurry. He is too slow to be quick.
Under Prescriptions for Trouble, we find:
The patient had no recollection of any memory loss.
She is numb from her toes down.
The patient left the hospital feeling much better except for her original complaints.
Healthy-appearing decrepit 69-year-old male, mentally alert but forgetful.
Occasional, constant, infrequent headaches.
Three bullets were removed from the patient -- one from each leg.
Lots of fun throughout. And this is only one of his books. I recommend the others too.
Among the Science Fantasies, contributed initially by students in exams, essays, etc.:
Gravity is a pulling type thing that makes sure that the planets don't fall or hurt anything.
Before Galileo, no one could see the Moon.
A vibration is a motion that cannot make up its mind which way it wants to go.
To most people solutions mean finding the answers. But to chemists solutions are things that are still mixed up.
In That's No Excuse, reasons for students' absences include:
Please excuse Raoul from school yesterday. He had a stomach egg.
Stanley had to miss some school. He had an attack of whooping cranes in his chest.
Ralph was absent because he had a sore trout.
Please excuse Stanley. The basement of our house flooded where the children sleep so they had to be evaporated.
Paulie was late because he was not too early. He is never in no hurry. He is too slow to be quick.
Under Prescriptions for Trouble, we find:
The patient had no recollection of any memory loss.
She is numb from her toes down.
The patient left the hospital feeling much better except for her original complaints.
Healthy-appearing decrepit 69-year-old male, mentally alert but forgetful.
Occasional, constant, infrequent headaches.
Three bullets were removed from the patient -- one from each leg.
Lots of fun throughout. And this is only one of his books. I recommend the others too.
Read
June 4, 2021The sequels just keep on coming! As with viewers of the original 1931 Frankenstein and all its many descendants, Lederer’s readers can’t seem to get enough of a good thing and continue to bombard his mailbox (well, actually his e-mail box!) with a stream of guffaw-inducing blunders, bloopers, misplaced modifiers, double-entendres, misspellings, mistranslations, horrific headlines, and typos (and I’ve probably left out a few categories!) made possible by the often maddening paradoxes, contradictions, irregularities and peculiarities of the English language.
Example 1: “Come Alive, You’re in the Pepsi Generation” (remember that slogan from the 1970’s?), translated into Chinese, came out “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead.”
Example 2 (misplaced modifier): “For sale, vacuum cleaner by lady with plug in rear.”
Example 3 (from a church bulletin): “Hymn #335, O For a Thousand Tongues to Sin.”
Does that whet your appetite? While there are a few repetitions from previous volumes (all very much worth repeating!), there aren’t too many, and it is likely that more volumes in this series will follow as long as there are writers to goof up the English language, and others willing to turn them in to the language police!
**** review by Chuck Graham ****
Example 1: “Come Alive, You’re in the Pepsi Generation” (remember that slogan from the 1970’s?), translated into Chinese, came out “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead.”
Example 2 (misplaced modifier): “For sale, vacuum cleaner by lady with plug in rear.”
Example 3 (from a church bulletin): “Hymn #335, O For a Thousand Tongues to Sin.”
Does that whet your appetite? While there are a few repetitions from previous volumes (all very much worth repeating!), there aren’t too many, and it is likely that more volumes in this series will follow as long as there are writers to goof up the English language, and others willing to turn them in to the language police!
**** review by Chuck Graham ****
February 9, 2024
Just as good as the first one. I could read this kind of stuff all day!
March 20, 2017
:D more details later...
July 29, 2016
Who doesn't love books like this? They are just fun. But while reading something that's about errors and bad grammar and language usage it's more than just slightly irritating to find ERRORS in the book. There were several repeated stories and more than one layout gaffe.
So, some funny and even laugh-out-loud parts, but annoying to read.
So, some funny and even laugh-out-loud parts, but annoying to read.
Read
January 2, 2017A good many laughs. Perhaps not deep, but worth the time... and the fun.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews