Book Review-Babel No More, by Michael Erard

Michael Erard's new book explores the world of the hyperpolyglot

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Babel No More
• Polyglots
• Hyperpolyglots
• Foreign Languages

[alkantre]

I just preordered this book over on Amazon.

[syzygycc]

@alkantre You will enjoy it!

[KiloSierraAlpha]

I finished reading it yesterday and I got a completely different opinion on from you :) I was quite disappointed by it to be honest. The basic premise of the book, what I got out of it, was that all these hyperglots he came across have some kind of a brain predisposition for language acquisition and most of the hyperglots featured in the book are "not normal". About the only chapter I found interesting was chapter 19.

And that talk about brain scans that never happened? Book's unfinished. 3/5

[alkantre]

Up to p. 167 now. I have been enjoying the book immensely. The best part of the book (so far at least) is the description of Alexander Arguelles.

Whether hyperpolyglot, polyglot or just bilingual, I keep on finding I have traits in common with these guys. Like Arguelles and some others, I can't drive an automobile. My left-handedness was obstinate since early childhood. My passion for language is such that a I often pull an all nighter with an new language, passion defying much needed sleep...

[alkantre]

So far I've read up to page 37. The book seems as good as you make it out to be. This despite the fact that some important hyperglots like Mario Pei are not even mentioned (at least not in the index). Others like Burton only get a few pages. But the ones discussed are fascinating people. I had heard of Mezzofanti, but never read about him. Obviously I was missing out on something major.

If you han't posted this review, who knows when I would find out about this fascinating book.

[alkantre]

@syzygycc I can't wait to sink my teeth into it.

As I polyglott I often ask myself why the things I'm passionate about don't even interest most of the people around me. On this account I would like to find out just what makes a polyglot tick. Could "neurological pleasure" indeed be the explanation? I am hoping this book will bring me a bit closer to self understanding. But apart from that it looks like a fascinating read.

[jondesousa]

Thanks for the review, Claude. Hope you are doing well.

[rsloma71]

Thank you for your recomendation and review.

It looks like it's gonna be an entertaining read.

[jolandacaterina]

J;-)

[offdare]

Too expensive for me, even the amazon edition

[Fasulye2009]

I also have this book on pre-order at Amazon, Germany. I will receive this book on 16 January 2012.