Audiobook Sample

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  • Title: English as She is Wrote
  • Author: Anonymous
  • Narrator: TriciaG
  • Length: 0.057986111
  • Version: Abridged
  • Release Date: 01-Jan
  • Publisher: LibriVox
  • Genre: Language Instruction, Language Arts
  • ISBN13: SABLIB9781088
Dear fellow book lovers,

This LibriVox recording of “English as She is Wrote,” read by TriciaG, is a quirky and often hilarious exploration of unintentional errors in written English ([0], [3], [4], [8], [9]). The book, a collection of misused phrases, malapropisms, and grammatical gaffes, is presented as a series of short sections, each focusing on a different source of errors: advertisers, epitaphs, correspondents, and so on ([0], [8]).

TriciaG’s narration is generally clear and well-paced ([4]). She does a good job of conveying the humor inherent in the material, though, as she herself notes, the visual humor of misspellings is sometimes lost in audio format ([4]). Some listeners on the LibriVox forum appreciated her pacing and found her reading enjoyable ([4]).

The book itself is a mixed bag. While some of the examples are genuinely amusing, others feel dated or, as one Goodreads reviewer put it, “classist and mocking” ([5]). The focus on errors made by the “untutored” can feel condescending at times ([5]).

At just over 1 hour and 20 minutes (the provided length of 0.057986111 is likely a normalized value, not the actual duration), it’s a relatively short listen ([0]). It’s a light, entertaining audiobook, best suited for those with an interest in language and a tolerance for humor that occasionally veers into the politically incorrect. It’s not a serious language instruction guide, despite its genre listing, but rather a collection of linguistic curiosities.

I’d give it a 5/10. It’s amusing in parts, but the humor is inconsistent, and the overall tone can be off-putting. The LibriVox recording itself is well-executed, given the nature of the project. It’s worth a listen if you’re curious, but there are likely better examples of humorous writing about language out there.

Warmest regards,
Sophie Bennett