A mouthful of air: languages and language, especially english

This is his most profound and considered statement to date on language, and one of the most important books he has written. The author of more than 50 books--including the classic A Clockwork Orange--presents a fascinating survey of language: how it reached its present situation; how it operates now; and how it will develop in the future. Anthony Burgess covers everything from Shakespeare's pronunciation, to the politics of speech, to the place of English in the world, and more.