Carpe Diem

Put a Little Latin in Your Life

De: Harry Mount

Narrado por: Stephen Hoye

In this lighthearted guided tour of Latin, journalist and former Latin tutor Harry Mount breathes life back into the greatest language of all, drawing on everything from a Monty Python grammar lesson to Angelina Jolie's tattoos. Filled with fascinating tidbits and humorous asides, Carpe Diem will delight the word lovers who made Eats, Shoots and Leaves such a monster hit.

Whether we're aware of it or not, Latin is all around us. Consider the sayings in everyday use: alter ego, ad nauseam, caveat emptor, modus operandi, per se, and, of course, the ever-popular e pluribus unum. Even more abundant are words derived from Latin roots: arena (from harena, meaning "sand"), auditorium ("a place of audience"), stadium (a running track)...and those are just the theatrical ones!

It's inescapable. It's also the most daunting of languages, one that is seemingly obscure and filled with arcane rules and often accompanied by unpleasant memories of adolescence. But, as Mount says in Carpe Diem, "Knowing a bit of Latin is an invitation to the biggest room in the building, with a view down the corridor to all the succeeding ages. And you can get your hands on that invitation at any age."

©2007 Harry Mount (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"I can't remember the last time I conjugated with such an expert." (Lynne Truss, author of Eats, Shoots, and Leaves)

Wow: a language book that is written by a human

This is a grand book which is engaging and fun to listen to. Although the author claims otherwise, it does require some exposure to Latin beforehand to really follow it, however. But anyhow, it does manage to get those old Latin chants up and running again.

Brings Latin to life

It would have been great to have Harry Mount as a Latin teacher. I actually had a wonderful Latin teacher which is probably why I still enjoy it today. Harry brings al lot of American and British cultural references in examples that illustrate Latin sentences. A fun primer tat is a good refresher or great place to start learning Latin. I especially liked the common phrases at the end.

Interesting to begin with and overall entertaining

Qite an entertaing read. I would reccomend as a book to stoke interest in a young reader who is compelled to learn about latin.

Well-written, informative intro to Latin literary culture

This is not so much a Latin primer as an introduction to Latin literary culture. It's accessible for a popular audience but also provides avenues for further studies and forays into the world of Latin/Roman letters.

Terrible

What disappointed you about Carpe Diem?

I really disliked this book. I think the premise is good - but the off handed stories that use latin but don't explain it... are frustrating. Truthfully - I hated it after the first chapter. I kept listening hoping it would get better - but it didn't.

What character would you cut from Carpe Diem?

No Charecters - just inane stories.