Best Popular Language Books on Goodreads

1.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation 3.87 avg rating — 106,066 ratings
2.
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way 3.91 avg rating — 43,558 ratings
3.
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary 3.84 avg rating — 120,604 ratings
4.
Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language
Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language 4.05 avg rating — 12,271 ratings
5.
The Elements of Style
The Elements of Style 4.18 avg rating — 86,241 ratings
6.
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters
by: Mark Dunn
3.94 avg rating — 56,067 ratings
7.
Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States
Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States 3.92 avg rating — 15,800 ratings
7.
The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary
The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary 4.05 avg rating — 10,953 ratings
9.
Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries
Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries 4.19 avg rating — 9,044 ratings
10.
Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language
Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language 4.24 avg rating — 25,822 ratings
11.
Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It
Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It 4.08 avg rating — 12,319 ratings
12.
The Phantom Tollbooth
The Phantom Tollbooth 4.20 avg rating — 301,799 ratings
13.
The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary
The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary 3.99 avg rating — 5,211 ratings
14.
Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World
Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World 4.06 avg rating — 3,056 ratings
15.
Lingo: A Language Spotter's Guide to Europe
Lingo: A Language Spotter's Guide to Europe 3.92 avg rating — 4,568 ratings
16.
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language 4.36 avg rating — 658 ratings
17.
The Story of Human Language
The Story of Human Language 4.40 avg rating — 3,052 ratings
18.
The Stories of English
The Stories of English 4.04 avg rating — 1,422 ratings
19.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft 4.34 avg rating — 310,116 ratings
20.
Embassytown
Embassytown 3.90 avg rating — 33,985 ratings
21.
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction 4.24 avg rating — 30,210 ratings
22.
The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language
The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language 4.23 avg rating — 12,064 ratings
23.
The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century
The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century 4.04 avg rating — 9,070 ratings
24.
Bird by Bird
Bird by Bird 4.24 avg rating — 108,479 ratings
25.
Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World
Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World 3.66 avg rating — 5,705 ratings
26.
The Adventure of English: The Biography of a Language
The Adventure of English: The Biography of a Language 3.94 avg rating — 5,091 ratings
27.
The Story of French
The Story of French really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 992 ratings
28.
The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language
The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3,186 ratings
28.
Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle
Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle 3.97 avg rating — 5,898 ratings
30.
The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us
The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us 3.67 avg rating — 3,032 ratings
31.
Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing
Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing 3.87 avg rating — 2,277 ratings
32.
Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z
Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z 3.99 avg rating — 728 ratings
33.
The Story of English
The Story of English 4.09 avg rating — 2,388 ratings
34.
Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World
Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World 4.23 avg rating — 3,986 ratings
35.
Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players
Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players 3.82 avg rating — 5,577 ratings
36.
The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves to Sand Worms, the Words Behind World-Building
The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves to Sand Worms, the Words Behind World-Building 4.13 avg rating — 1,984 ratings
37.
The Study of Language
The Study of Language 4.01 avg rating — 2,267 ratings
37.
Language in Thought and Action
Language in Thought and Action 4.22 avg rating — 1,309 ratings
39.
Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, And Language
Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, And Language 3.63 avg rating — 2,186 ratings
40.
The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-Earth
The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-Earth 3.99 avg rating — 4,755 ratings
41.
The Horologicon: A Day's Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language
The Horologicon: A Day's Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language 3.95 avg rating — 2,506 ratings
42.
Anguished English: An Anthology of Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language
Anguished English: An Anthology of Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language 4.08 avg rating — 2,068 ratings
43.
Flirting with French: How a Language Charmed Me, Seduced Me, and Nearly Broke My Heart
Flirting with French: How a Language Charmed Me, Seduced Me, and Nearly Broke My Heart 3.94 avg rating — 1,752 ratings
44.
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World 3.99 avg rating — 3,774 ratings
45.
Words on the Move: Why English Won't—and Can't—Sit Still
Words on the Move: Why English Won't—and Can't—Sit Still 4.14 avg rating — 1,919 ratings
46.
Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things: What Categories Reveal About the Mind
Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things: What Categories Reveal About the Mind 4.11 avg rating — 1,096 ratings
46.
Semicolon: The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark
Semicolon: The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark 3.68 avg rating — 2,329 ratings
48.
What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves
What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves 3.75 avg rating — 1,746 ratings
49.
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism 3.82 avg rating — 108,609 ratings
50.
How to Learn Any Language: Quickly, Easily, Inexpensively, Enjoyably and on Your Own
How to Learn Any Language: Quickly, Easily, Inexpensively, Enjoyably and on Your Own 3.80 avg rating — 861 ratings
51.
The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language
The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language 3.73 avg rating — 1,048 ratings
51.
501 Spanish Verbs: Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses in a New Easy-To-Learn Format Alphabetically Arranged
501 Spanish Verbs: Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses in a New Easy-To-Learn Format Alphabetically Arranged 4.33 avg rating — 1,148 ratings
53.
Philosophical Investigations
Philosophical Investigations 4.26 avg rating — 15,519 ratings
54.
In Other Words
In Other Words 3.74 avg rating — 15,347 ratings
54.
Word Power Made Easy
Word Power Made Easy 4.42 avg rating — 9,118 ratings
56.
Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language
Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language 3.81 avg rating — 619 ratings
57.
Spell It Out: The Curious, Enthralling and Extraordinary Story of English Spelling
Spell It Out: The Curious, Enthralling and Extraordinary Story of English Spelling 3.95 avg rating — 883 ratings
58.
The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language
The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language 4.01 avg rating — 22,310 ratings
58.
How Language Works: How Babies Babble, Words Change Meaning, and Languages Live or Die
How Language Works: How Babies Babble, Words Change Meaning, and Languages Live or Die 3.86 avg rating — 1,309 ratings
60.
Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World
Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World 3.81 avg rating — 772 ratings
61.
A Little Book of Language
A Little Book of Language 3.75 avg rating — 2,269 ratings
61.
Lingua Latina per se Illustrata: Pars I: Familia Romana
Lingua Latina per se Illustrata: Pars I: Familia Romana 4.60 avg rating — 1,020 ratings
63.
Language Myths
Language Myths 3.68 avg rating — 1,310 ratings
63.
Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols & Other Typographical Marks
Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols & Other Typographical Marks 3.96 avg rating — 2,068 ratings
65.
The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language
The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language 3.73 avg rating — 1,405 ratings
66.
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English 3.83 avg rating — 7,107 ratings
66.
How to Do Things with Words
How to Do Things with Words 3.90 avg rating — 2,562 ratings
68.
The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature
The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature 3.91 avg rating — 11,146 ratings
68.
Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style
Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style 4.34 avg rating — 9,242 ratings
70.
Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen
Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen 3.61 avg rating — 6,468 ratings
70.
The Pun Also Rises: How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics
The Pun Also Rises: How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics 3.68 avg rating — 1,893 ratings
72.
The Lexicographer's Dilemma: The Evolution of "Proper" English, from Shakespeare to South Park
The Lexicographer's Dilemma: The Evolution of "Proper" English, from Shakespeare to South Park 4.05 avg rating — 672 ratings
73.
A Dictionary of Modern English Usage
A Dictionary of Modern English Usage 4.23 avg rating — 1,057 ratings
73.
Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages
Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages 3.73 avg rating — 1,766 ratings
75.
Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages
Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages 3.91 avg rating — 7,176 ratings
75.
The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase
The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase 4.36 avg rating — 7,147 ratings
75.
Genki I: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese
Genki I: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese
by: Eri Banno
4.31 avg rating — 1,777 ratings
78.
Serendipities: Language and Lunacy
Serendipities: Language and Lunacy 3.81 avg rating — 1,446 ratings
78.
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus 4.10 avg rating — 21,775 ratings
80.
You Are What You Speak: Grammar Grouches, Language Laws, and the Politics of Identity
You Are What You Speak: Grammar Grouches, Language Laws, and the Politics of Identity 3.85 avg rating — 675 ratings
81.
Spoken Here: Travels Among Threatened Languages
Spoken Here: Travels Among Threatened Languages 3.85 avg rating — 709 ratings
82.
Metaphors We Live By
Metaphors We Live By 4.09 avg rating — 6,741 ratings
83.
Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain
Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain 3.85 avg rating — 8,019 ratings
84.
The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World
The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World 3.47 avg rating — 737 ratings
85.
The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention
The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention 4.22 avg rating — 3,979 ratings
85.
Globish: How the English Language Became the World's Language
Globish: How the English Language Became the World's Language 3.27 avg rating — 615 ratings
87.
Politics and the English Language
Politics and the English Language 4.29 avg rating — 8,369 ratings
87.
Le Ton beau de Marot: In Praise of the Music of Language
Le Ton beau de Marot: In Praise of the Music of Language 4.24 avg rating — 826 ratings
87.
An Introduction to Language
An Introduction to Language 3.97 avg rating — 1,366 ratings
90.
Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words: A Writer's Guide to Getting It Right
Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words: A Writer's Guide to Getting It Right 3.89 avg rating — 3,201 ratings
91.
Alphabet Juice: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences; With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory
Alphabet Juice: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences; With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory 3.61 avg rating — 878 ratings
92.
The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English
The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English 3.84 avg rating — 1,241 ratings
93.
Lexicon
Lexicon
by: Max Barry
3.91 avg rating — 39,634 ratings
94.
The Prodigal Tongue: The Love-Hate Relationship Between American and British English
The Prodigal Tongue: The Love-Hate Relationship Between American and British English 3.93 avg rating — 1,210 ratings
95.
Remembering the Kanji I: A Complete Course on How Not to Forget the Meaning and Writing of Japanese Characters
Remembering the Kanji I: A Complete Course on How Not to Forget the Meaning and Writing of Japanese Characters 4.24 avg rating — 866 ratings
96.
Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English
Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English 3.94 avg rating — 4,498 ratings
97.
In the Land of Invented Languages: Esperanto Rock Stars, Klingon Poets, Loglan Lovers, and the Mad Dreamers Who Tried to Build a Perfect Language
In the Land of Invented Languages: Esperanto Rock Stars, Klingon Poets, Loglan Lovers, and the Mad Dreamers Who Tried to Build a Perfect Language 4.10 avg rating — 2,943 ratings
97.
The Deluxe Transitive Vampire: The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed
The Deluxe Transitive Vampire: The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed 4.10 avg rating — 1,534 ratings
99.
The Riddle of the Labyrinth: The Quest to Crack an Ancient Code
The Riddle of the Labyrinth: The Quest to Crack an Ancient Code 4.01 avg rating — 3,647 ratings
99.
After Babel: Aspects of Language and Translation
After Babel: Aspects of Language and Translation 4.15 avg rating — 619 ratings
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