In this entertaining and informative book, Howard Richler invites readers to enjoy the pleasures to be found in exploring the language that is rapidly becoming the world's lingua franca. With over 400 varieties of English spoken today, words and idioms are constantly being gained. Lost and transformed. Within the dynamic challenge of contemporary word usage, Richler highlights the importance of wordplay, with chapters on puns, palindromes, malapropisms and spoonerisms. He also includes many word games and puzzles (with answers). Of special interest to the North American experience is the section on the importance of Native languages as well as the ways in which French has influenced English. This is a book for all who love words, as well as an excellent resource for English language teachers. Richler's appreciation for the English language in all its variations -- from big-city, urban English to that found in the rural outreaches -- teaches us that the most important aspect of our mother tongue is that it is truly alive.