Harrison defines the words in such a way that readers may resort to other dictionaries. One word made me think of one I used to use a lot, debauchery and another one, curt. She brought out how sometimes the word "hone" is misused and I agree. The word "limn" is most likely a word for poets but others can appreciate it too. "It is a not-so distant cousin of illuminate," says Harrison. Another word, paterfamilias, was one I just recently read in a book, where it was used in the title and throughout, which brought back memories. I also noted the word agitprop recommended by Harrison to replace using propaganda. The first thing that came to my mind was, "that's cool." For writers, I highly recommend the Literary Flair chapter. It is full of old words that many of us have stopped using and actually should go back to. Harrison gives sample lines to demonstrate the use of the words and they are exceptionally well chosen.

To me, this book is a writer's gold mine. My favorite part of the book is the one-syllable words, the short and snappy ones. If any of the words I mentioned above grabbed your attention, how about looking them up in Smart Words: Vocabulary for the Erudite and Those Who Wish to Be. This simple dictionary is a blessing to all who like to write and read. Why? It brings back into our vernacular words we have forgotten, and for only $12. As a collector of dictionaries, this one I highly recommend!