Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing cover image

When Is a Man a Widow? Where Do We Get the Word 'Blurb'? Sci-Fi Versus Fantasy. Bert and Ernie.

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

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The Word Blurb

The word blurb was coined by an American humorist named Gillette Burgess in 1907. He prepared copies of his book to give to attendees with a fake book jacket that had over-the-top recommendations, such as when you read this masterpiece, you'll know what a book is. The Oxford English Dictionary has examples from the early 1920s that make it sound like this is a common practice.

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