<DIV>“If everybody's first English teacher were Roy Blount Jr., we might still be trillions in debt, but we would be so deeply in love with words and their magic . . . that we'd hardly notice.” —Chris Tucker, <I>The Dallas Morning News</I></DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>After forty years of making a living using words in every medium except greeting cards, Roy Blount Jr. still can't get over his ABCs. In <I>Alphabet Juice</I>, he celebrates the juju, the crackle, the sonic and kinetic energies, of letters and their combinations. He has a strong sense of right and wrong, but he is not out to prescribe proper English. His passion is for questions such as these: Did you know that both <I>mammal </I>and <I>matter </I>derive from baby talk? Have you noticed how <I>wince</I> makes you wince?</DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>Three and a half centuries ago, Thomas Blount produced his <I>Glossographia</I>, the first dictionary to explore derivations of English words. <I>This </I>Blount's Glossographia takes that pursuit to new levels. From sources as venerable as the <I>OED</I> and as fresh as Urbandictionary.com, and especially from the author's own wide ranging experience, <I>Alphabet Juice </I>derives an organic take on language that is unlike, and more fun than, any other.</DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>“Amusing, bemusing, and smart as hell.” —Daniel Okrent, <I>Fortune</I></DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>“Danced in Blount's arms, English swings smartly.” —Jack Shafer, <I>The New York Times Book Review</I></DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>“Gracefully erudite and joyous.” —Katherine A. Powers, <I>The Boston Sunday Globe</I></DIV>