Book Report: Boston Dictionary

The most recent book that I've read while walking to and from work is "The Boston Dictionary" written by John Powers and illustrated by Peter Wallace. This book was HUGE comic relief for me. It was especially therapeutic when I was having difficulty connecting with my students in class. I tried to show them "Bostonish" but they often missed the point. Even Canadian and American colleagues had a difficulty getting some of the jokes like, "How do you know when someone is a foreigner? They try to speak to people in English". I think the joke got lost in translation or else I'm just not good at telling jokes. Or as my wife, Sinae suggests, perhaps I tend to laugh at jokes more easily than most people. At the same time, this book was not only entertaining but it was also educational. Even though I only lived in the Boston area for 9 months, as I read this book which modifies spelling in order to underscore authentic Bostonian pronunciation, I recalled people I met in Boston who spoke EXACTLY as the writer(s) wrote this book. It is also educational in terms of the key places in Boston or what people do and why they do it. One of the greatest errors we folk from outside of Boston make is saying, "Pahk yi cah in Harvahd Yahd" is that it's impossible or at least illegal to park one's car in Harvard Yard. I won't spoil everything by telling you everything in this book. Sinae and I bought it at a souvenir shop in Boston but I'm hopeful that it can also be purchased online. There are other books that have also been written which I hope to read. This book is a little thicker than a magazine but nearly just as convenient to handle while walking down the street. But I must warn you: you may be perceived as being crazy because this book is so funny that you may find yourself laughing at loud.