The King's English (Penguin Modern Classics)

An indispensable companion for readers, writers, and even casual users of the language, the Penguin Modern Classics edition of Kingsley Amis's The King's English features a new introduction by Martin Amis.

About the Book

The King's English is Kingsley Amis's authoritative and witty guide to the use and abuse of the English language. A scourge of illiteracy and a thorn in the side of pretension, Amis provides indispensable advice about the linguistic blunders that lie in wait for us, including:

• Danglers and four-letter words
• Jargon
• Welsh rarebit

If you have ever wondered:

• Whether it's acceptable to start a sentence with 'and'
• If you can boldly split an infinitive
• Or whether crossing your sevens in the French style is appropriate

Amis has the answer—or a trenchant opinion. By turns reflective, acerbic, and provocative, The King's English is for anyone who cares about how the English language is used.

About Kingsley Amis

Kingsley Amis (1922–1995), born in London, wrote poetry, criticism, and short stories, but is best remembered as the novelist whose works offered a comic deconstruction of post-war Britain. His disillusionment with British society is explored in novels such as:

• Lucky Jim (1954)
• That Uncertain Feeling (1955)
• The Green Man (1970)
• Stanley and the Women (1984)
• The Old Devils (1986), which won the Booker Prize

If You Enjoyed This Book

If you enjoyed The King's English, you might also like Amis's Lucky Jim, also available in Penguin Modern Classics.

Praise for the Book

"A terrific book ... learned, robust, aggressive, extremely funny"
— Sebastian Faulks