The Book of Nonexistent Words

Author:   Stefano Massini ,  Richard Dixon
Publisher:   HarperCollins Publishers Inc
ISBN:  

9780063004788


Pages:   272
Publication Date:   05 October 2021
Format:   Paperback
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

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The Book of Nonexistent Words


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Overview

The internationally acclaimed author harnesses his brilliant imagination and masterful storytelling ability to create a catalog of new words inspired by stories of real people in this wondrous book reminiscent of Italo Calvino's mesmerizing Invisible Cities. How many times have words not been enough How many complex feelings don’t have a corresponding noun that properly describes them How many times has language left us like an archer without arrows in the labyrinth of our emotions Award-winning author Stefano Massini, a master of expression,, made a discovery that shot new life into his writing practice. To his surprise he found that the ancient rules of language were not quite as restrictive as he had long envisioned them to be. With so many emotions and states of mind missing modern descriptors and definitions, Massini stumbled across a simple but artistry-altering idea. Instead of compromising honest expression through perfunctory verbiage, he decided language was, if anything, a flowing palette of colors he could use to paint all things. Words are meant to be invented.  To reconfirm his belief in the magic of words, Massini returned to the wondrous mechanism that has fed dictionaries from time immemorial. If he could not find the precise word he wanted, he created one. In this delightful compendium, he introduces his personal vocabulary; every chapter mentions a new word that comes from a story about a real person, from Louis XIV to an American gangster. The Book of Nonexistent Words is a beautifully illustrated collection of linguistic origin stories wrought from the mind of an internationally renowned storytelling icon. Massini effectively liberates our human capacity for using language creatively and shows how we can embrace storytelling to fine tune our way of being in the world. Massini encourages us to be imaginative; if the language in the dictionary cannot adequately match the reality of the here and now, we must create new words that ring true. Translated from the Italian by Richard Dixon 

Full Product Details

Author:   Stefano Massini ,  Richard Dixon
Publisher:   HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Imprint:   HarperVia
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 1.70cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.427kg
ISBN:  

9780063004788


ISBN 10:   006300478
Pages:   272
Publication Date:   05 October 2021
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

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Stefano Massini is a novelist, essayist, and theatre director of international fame. After getting a degree in Ancient Literature from the University of Florence, Massini began his theatrical career in 2002 as an assistant at the Piccolo Teatro di Milano. He has directed numerous plays such as The Diary of Anne Frank and wrote the award-winning L'odore assordante del bianco. The Lehman Trilogy premiered on the West End in 2019 where it was nominated for 5 Oliver Awards.

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