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This book's language and caricatures are deliberately designed to produce cheeky humour.
From "unsolved mystery" to "artificial prosthesis," redundancies turn 2D black and white language into 3D living color. That’s why we are "surrounded on all sides" by "tiny specks," "usual routines," "foreign imports," “brief moments,” and "annoying pests" (not to mention "hot water heaters").
A must-have for language lovers, this unique cornucopia of insightful rumination turns the spotlight on the tricks that language uses to communicate more than just the “actual facts.” Over 101 beautifully crafted illustrations will have you chuckling and nodding with approval as you celebrate the playfulness of language through time and space -- from the creation of the universe (by the “original inventor”) to a couple from the future who (foolishly) travel back in time to 2020, only to discover why "Happy New Year" became everyone's favorite redundancy for 2021. You’ll get life-changing advice from Angela, who treats a “prickly cactus” traumatized by a physically distant mom, and from Amy, a six-year-old child psychologist and “knowledgeable expert” on hide-and-seek therapy. Then there’s 88 year-old Zen Master Milton Butsukei who “lifts up” 500 lbs. in the Inter-Monastic Clean and Levitate Competition. Even Hamlet shows up at one point to “pick and choose.”
Redundancies are so ingrained in our language that they are familiar chorus lines in many songs. 101 Totally Unnecessary Redundancies (plus 30 spares, just in case) by Michael Macy pokes fun at the many redundant phrases we use in our everyday life in speech and writing. This book's language and caricatures are deliberately designed to produce cheeky humour. Many of the 131 redundancies that Macy identifies are quite familiar, most are quite obvious, and a few might appear to be obscure.
Macy uses a cartoon to accompany each of his redundant expressions. The language he features in his cartoons' direct speech is witty and provides concrete examples of the redundancy pinpointed. The illustrator, Rick Menard, skillfully conveys the irritating aspect of the redundancies in his eye-catching monochrome illustrations.
The language is minimalist and easily understood. Macy states the redundant phrase in a few deft strokes and then sometimes explains in a mildly satirical tone a possible rationale for the unnecessary repetition. At other times, he depicts witty scenarios with extended puns relevant to the redundancy identified. One of my favorite witty illustrators is the one of "The Mosquito family having a blood sugar crisis just before sunset." "101 Totally Unnecessary Redundancies" is a fast paced read in 65 pages designed to produce mild chuckles or laugh out loud humour dependent on your sense of humour. Macy's humour is tactful, crisp, and self-enhancing.
Students who do not understand the term redundancy in writing must read this book to eliminate this error. This book is for persons with a sense of humour; it would provide them with mild amusement. It is also for persons who have no sense of humour to help them develop one. Read repeatedly, over and over again, until you find the humour, on or in between the lines.
Reviewed by
I am a Global citizen residing in one of the Happiest Caribbean Countries: Trinidad and Tobago. I am a Teacher of English and Communication Studies. Reading and creating book reviews are my favourite pastimes. I wrote several reviews currently published on Amazon and Goodreads.
Synopsis
From "unsolved mystery" to "artificial prosthesis," redundancies turn 2D black and white language into 3D living color. That’s why we are "surrounded on all sides" by "tiny specks," "usual routines," "foreign imports," “brief moments,” and "annoying pests" (not to mention "hot water heaters").
A must-have for language lovers, this unique cornucopia of insightful rumination turns the spotlight on the tricks that language uses to communicate more than just the “actual facts.” Over 101 beautifully crafted illustrations will have you chuckling and nodding with approval as you celebrate the playfulness of language through time and space -- from the creation of the universe (by the “original inventor”) to a couple from the future who (foolishly) travel back in time to 2020, only to discover why "Happy New Year" became everyone's favorite redundancy for 2021. You’ll get life-changing advice from Angela, who treats a “prickly cactus” traumatized by a physically distant mom, and from Amy, a six-year-old child psychologist and “knowledgeable expert” on hide-and-seek therapy. Then there’s 88 year-old Zen Master Milton Butsukei who “lifts up” 500 lbs. in the Inter-Monastic Clean and Levitate Competition. Even Hamlet shows up at one point to “pick and choose.”
About the author
Michael is a Cornell prof whose obsession with redundancies reflects a deeper fascination with language as a window into how people interact. He commutes to Cornell from Canada where he cooks, skis, works on his latte art, debates his teenage daughter, and writes an occasional sonnet to his wife. view profile
Published on December 14, 2020
0-1000 words
Genre: Humor & Comedy
Reviewed by
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