Description
Book SynopsisA dazzling dictionary of book blurbs, filled with writing tips, literary folklore and publishing secrets
Trade Review'A small masterpiece. There is something funny, notable or awe-inspiring on every single page. Some books simply slide into your life like good-humoured old friends. This is undoubtedly one of them.'
-- Jenny Colgan, Spectator
‘The bookiest book about books you’ll ever read – I loved it.’
-- Lucy Mangan, author of
Bookworm‘Truly delightful… charming and gracefully learned… Louise Willder, a copywriter with decades of experience, brings so much joy and, indeed, enthusiasm to her book about books that anyone who revels in reading will find real enchantment here. I couldn’t have had more fun.’
-- Benjamin Dreyer, author of the
New York Times bestseller
Dreyer’s English'A little marvel...consummately brilliant'
* Daily Mail *
‘Very funny, erudite and profound. A delight!’
-- Nina Stibbe
‘I love this book’s sheer happiness and humanity. It is rich, wise and soul-awaking, exhilarating-like-the-snowman-flying-through-the-air-of-human-gloriousness. And, God, she's funny. Buy it, read it, give it.’
-- Martin Latham, author of
The Bookseller’s Tale‘Wise and witty...she is full of vim, blessed too with an unusual sense of enquiry, a comic turn of phrase and a talent for investigation into almost every nook and cranny of the business and pleasure of books.’
-- Carmen Callil * The Oldie *
‘This total gem is an illuminating, dazzling, quirky, fascinating, erudite, thought-provoking, hilarious and totally essential celebration of the outside of books. Willder is my new style icon.’
-- Caroline Sanderson,
The Bookseller, Editor’s Choice
'Bookworms will devour this'
* Good Housekeeping *
‘This book is ace! A must-read for any and every writer or book-obsessed person!’
-- Sophie Hannah
‘Jammed with funny, curious and stylish thoughts and insights, Blurb Your Enthusiasm will be loved by absolutely everybody with an obsessive interest in books and their appearance.’
-- Simon Winder, author of
Germania'Studded with jewels'
* Literary Review *
‘Tracking the blurb through history, literary practices, authors’ lives, reading habits, and more, Willder opens up the world of wordplay that lies at the heart of writing and publishing.’
* Idler *
‘Willder’s breezy book sweeps across publishing history, imbuing her research and professional expertise with the tantalizing thrill of dinner party gossip … so smart and witty that you barely realize how much she is teaching about writing’
-- Ron Charles * Washington Post *
‘[Willder] is a charming guide not just to blurbs, but to first lines, hatchet jobs, puffs … I couldn’t, as the cliché goes, put it down.’
-- Laura Freeman * The Times, Best Books of 2022 *
‘With chapters on swearing, spoilers and silliness (all acceptable in moderation), Willder makes a fine case for the blurb as an art form in its own right.’
-- Daily Mail
‘Delightful … charming … this book feels like the surprising pleasure of a mimosa with breakfast or a bawdy song after dinner… Willder is the perfect guide’
-- Carrie Callaghan * Washington Independent Review of Books *
‘Uproarious, gossipy and utterly fascinating: a masterclass in how to judge a book by its cover. It makes words seem weird and wild again.’ -- Henry Eliot, author of
The Penguin Classics Book‘For anyone who needs or wants to use words persuasively, this is the most enjoyable masterclass you’ll ever read.’
-- Rob Williams, screenwriter of
Killing Eve and
The Victim'A zingy compendium… A crisp reminder of how profoundly words can affect us.’
-- Sunday Business Post
'With chapters on swearing, spoilers and silliness (all acceptable in moderation), Willder makes a fine case for the blurb as an art form in its own right.'
* Daily Mail *
‘Louise Willder’s witty guide Blurb Your Enthusiasm is a treat for insiders and book-world fans… Wilder celebrates the practice of turning literature into a catchy product that both illuminates people about a book and retains the book’s mystique.’
-- Foreword Reviews
‘A delight… She is a delightful and amusing guide to the subject. One for the book lover in your life.’
-- Herald (Glasgow)
‘Funny and anecdote-crammed history of the art of the book blurb. You’ll definitely never read book jackets the same way again.’
-- Reader's Digest
