Martha Barnette has spent two decades as the co-host of "A Way with Words," lauded by Mary Norris in The New Yorker as “a virtual treasure house” and “‘Car Talk’ for Lexiphiles.”
Over that time, she’s developed a keen sense of what fascinates people about language. They are curious about etymology and revel in slang, are surprised by regional vocabulary and celebrate linguistic diversity. Idioms both puzzle and delight word lovers, and they are eager to share family neologisms and that weird phrase Grandma always used to say.
In Friends with Words, Barnette weaves together all these strands in an entertaining exploration of language. Friends with Words also tells Barnette’s story — from her Appalachian roots through her study of Ancient Greek, and on to the making of a beloved and enduring show.
