Kleiser's venerable Fifteen Thousand Useful Phrases: A Practical Handbook Of Pertinent Expressionshas been around since 1917 and is now accessible online through the Project Gutenberg as a freely downloadable e-book. This is the paperback form of it, and for those of you who prefer to hold your books, it is worth having.



THE GOOD

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If this book were free (as the electronic version is) it would receive five stars. Who could complain about phrases like "Hits All Around the Mark Like a Drunken Carpenter"? This expression hits the center of the bulls-eye--an unforgettable phrase that eloquently conveys the writer's thoughts.



THE BAD

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However, in other places it is far off the mark today. What about "damask cheek"? This is Shakespearean English that I suspect most people nowadays would have great trouble understanding (the Project Gutenberg e-book transcriber provided a mistaken gloss for it). I cannot fault Kleiser for his erudition, but for those of us in the 21st century, explanations, and perhaps alternatives, would be greatly appreciated!



SUMMARY

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The book gets four stars for the incredible work that Kleiser produced, but loses one because publishers keep churning out copies of this book without providing added value. Don't forget that Kleiser produced a number of other excellent works like Phrases for Public Speakers and Paragraphs for Study!

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