She literally exploded

"Pan-fried." "Serving suggestion." "First invented by."

It's not available in the USA yet, but I'm anxious to read She Literally Exploded: The Daily Telegraph Infuriating Phrasebook, a sort of Devil's Dictionary for our times, compiled by Christopher Howse and Richard Preston. From the publisher:

What phrase enrages you most? "How are you spelling that?" perhaps, or, "issues around"? When the question came up in the Letters page of The Daily Telegraph, hundreds of readers nominated the ones they loathed, and thousands more were posted on line. Provoked beyond endurance, Christopher Howse and Richard Preston compiled The Infuriating Phrasebook, drawing on written and spoken insults to the intelligence from television, radio and the press.

God, I hope they have my own bête noire (note: not "my own personal bête noire") -- "most unique." Though I did see one for the ages last week (and it was written by a former newspaper editor!):

During this recent breakfast at one of my favorite not-so-crowded cafes, Natalie's happy noises were well within the accepted range of restaurant din. Nevertheless, a few minutes after being seated at the booth behind us, a middle-aged foursome apparently took offense to the baby noises and asked the waiter to be seated across the restaurant....Again, I suppose I'm spoiled by experiences with fellow booth occupants who would normally smile and coo at my noisome infant.

For the record, here's what Howse and Preston have to say about those earlier terms:

Pan-fried - instead of being fried in an old dustbin-lid.

Serving suggestion - On the label of a prepared meal, a warning that the plate, tablecloth, and accompanying boar's head shown in the picture are not included in the small plastic container.

First invented by - The second inventor is deservedly less well known.

My personal opinion is that it should be one of the most unique books of the year, and the buzz around it in the UK should be noisome.

Hat tips: For the book, Bill Eichenberger of the Columbus Dispatch; for "noisome," Retread Ranger.

Comments

[Ghost Dog]

I gotta take issue with their response to "pan-fried". Could be vat-fried, or even deep-fried, neither of which are done in a pan...

I'd probably still read and enjoy it. I'm working through "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" at the moment.

[Kevin]

That's true. Cajun fried turkey would be difficult to pull off in a pan.

What do you think of "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves"?

[nancy]

ESL was good, but a bit me-me-me and apparently, to me, redundant, as I put it down midway through.
Pet peeves: "suddenly" and almost anything else that ends in "ly"; "I'm the sort of person who..." (though one gets this more in speech); elegant variations that present themselves as such (e.g., Martin Amis can pull of "partuition"; you probably can't), and anything by Mitch Albom.

[Rabbit]

So how has this book impacted you?