The Uses of Literacy

Jan 18, 2025 2:18 PM

Author:Richard Hoggart,Lynsey Hanley

When a society becomes more affluent, does it lose other values? Are the skills that education and literacy gave millions wasted on consuming pop culture? Do the media coerce us into a world of the superficial and the material - or can they be a force for good?

When Richard Hoggart asked these questions in his 1957 book The Uses of Literacy Britain was undergoing huge social change, yet his landmark work has lost none of its pertinence and power today. Hoggart gives a fascinating insight into the close-knit values of Northern England's vanishing working-class communities, and weaves this together with his views on the arrival of a new, homogenous 'mass' US-influenced culture. His headline-grabbing bestseller opened up a whole new area of cultural study and remains essential reading, both as a historical document, and as a commentary on class, poverty and the media.

Reviews

Over the last decade, there has been a minor Latin revival, but it is a watered-down version of the language that has been revived. Rigorous Latin lessons are as dead as can be, except in a handful of grammar schools and private schools. So N.M. Gwynne is entering upon virgin territory with this timely guide to learning Latin properly. A former businessman and now a Latin tutor, he had a smash hit last year with Gwynne's Grammar , a rigorous guide to English grammar. Now he's applied the same winning formula to the most influential language of them all

—— The Spectator , The Spectator

This little book makes a great case for learning Latin, not least because of the countless Latin words and phrases in our daily English

—— The Independent on Sunday , The Independent on Sunday

Bellos has numerous paradoxes, anecdotes and witty solutions ... his insights are thought provoking, paradoxical and a brilliant exposition of mankind's attempts to deal with the Babel of global communication

—— Michael Binyon , The Times

[A] witty, erudite exploration...[Bellos] delights in [translation's] chequered past and its contemporary ubiquity...He would like us to do more of it. With the encouragement of this book, we might even begin to enjoy it

—— Maureen Freely , Sunday Telegraph

Is That A Fish In Your Ear? is spiced with good and provocative things. At once erudite and unpretentious...[it is a] scintillating bouillabaisse

—— Frederic Raphael , Literary Review

Is That A Fish in Your Ear? by David Bellos (father of Alex of Numberland fame) is a fascinating book on the world of translation that might well be this year's Just My Type

—— Jonathan Ruppin, Foyles Booskhop

Selected by The Times' 'Daily Universal Register' as a 'Try This' Book

—— The Times

A fascinating...very readable study of the mysterious art and business of translation...Bellos asks big questions...and comes up with often surprising answers...sparky, thought-provoking

—— Nigeness

Forget the fish-it's David Bellos you want in your ear when the talk is about translation. Bellos dispels many of the gloomy truisms of the trade and reminds us what an infinitely flexible instrument the English language (or any language) is. Sparkling, independent-minded analysis of everything from Nabokov's insecurities to Google Translate's felicities fuels a tender-even romantic-account of our relationship with words.

—— —NATASHA WIMMER, translator of Roberto Bolaño’s Savage Detectives and 2666

Is That a Fish in Your Ear? offers a lively survey of translating puns and poetry, cartoons and legislation, subtitles, news bulletins and the Bible

—— Matthew Reisz , Times Higher Education Supplement

Please read David Bellos's brilliant book

—— Michael Hofmann , Guardian

A clear and lively survey...This book fulfils a real need; there is nothing quite like it.

—— Robert Chandler , Spectator

In his marvellous study of the nature of translation...[David Bellos] has set out to make it fun...Essential reading for anyone with even a vague interest in language and translation - in short, it is a triumph

—— Shaun Whiteside , Independent

A dazzyingly inventive book

—— Adam Thirlwell , New York Times

Witty and perceptive...stimulating, lucid, ultimately cheering

—— Theo Dorgan , Irish Times

Superbly smart, supremely shrewd

—— Carlin Romano , The Chronicle Review

Selected as a National Book Critics' Circle Award Criticism Finalist 2011

—— NBCC

Personal and affectionate tribute

—— Sally Morris , Daily Mail

Affectionate, familial tribute to this many-sided man.

—— The Catholic Herald

Previous Article：Gwynne's Latin Next Article：Satisdiction

Comments

Welcome to zzdbook comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.