Member Reviews

Well, this book was not what I thought it was. Before I opened it, I saw someone say that this would be a good bathroom read. I assumed because it was short, but boy was I wrong!

I’ve never wanted to read the dictionary. Like, open the dictionary to the first page and just begin reading. This is what I would imagine it would be like to do so. There are no quirky anecdotes or examples more than a sentence long, so I just gave this book a quick scan and moved on. I didn’t absorb anything, mostly because I didn’t care to, and moved on to something with far more sustenance.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book is set to be published on October 5th, 2021.

Was this review helpful?

This is a humorous and snarky thesaurus-like guide to the world of professional emails! I would like to buy a printed copy when it is released and put it in my office! I think it would start some very funny conversations!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the author, Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This short, very funny book is exactly the snarky passive-agressive thesaurus I didn't know I needed to cope with workspeak. Not that my employer would allow use of e.g. the out of office texts, but a woman can dream. I did expect a bit more anecdotal humor rather than just a straight-up reference text.

Was this review helpful?

This book talks about communication in the work place. It has some humor in it and workers will be able to relate to it.

Was this review helpful?

"Think out of the box"

"Let's circle back"

"follow up"

"Let's take this offline"

This short, funny book is part dictionary and part thesaurus. Only 128 pages so you can plow through it in one sitting. Give it a try if you a worn out from the same old emails at work especially if you enjoy learning about language and office humor.

From the book: Why are we peeling onions and putting irons in the fire? Why are our plates always full? More importantly, how is it even possible to give 110%?

Buy this one for everyone in your office or leave a copy in the break room.

Was this review helpful?

This is both clever and useful and I will never be able to look at my emails or out of office replies the same again! You included great examples for each word and the book is the prefect length to have a proper laugh and not be too overwhelmed by the choices. Dividing the book into the chosen categories was well thought out and I am elated to step up my office lingo!

Was this review helpful?

I don't want to be taciturn (say little ) with this review so I am going to try to use some if the words from the book. Now, you will have no clue what I'm saying unless you actually read this book. Some of you that read this review will feel shambolic (confused) throughout this and that's okay. I myself at first was befuddled (utterly confused). During the reading of this book I began feeling agog (excited or ready to go) with the thought of trying out some of these words with friends and coworkers. That's exactly what this book is, a dictionary. I found it satisfying and stimulating. What was astounding to me is how many of these words I myself already used which turned out to be quite a few. Hopefully nobody becomes narked (annoyed) while reading this review because that is not the goal. In this book there were parts I did skip because I felt it didn't pertain to me specifically. Some of the phrases seemed overdrawn out and too long in my humble opinion. I do however, find this to be helpful more so to those in an office setting or big business job. With that being stated I don't feel this is a book intended to be read cover to cover, but a book to pick up when you want to sound or seem intelligent to your friends colleagues or family members. There was however one word that really stuck out to me over the rest. Collywobbles (stomach pain, intense anxiety, or nervousness. This is more leaning towards a self help book.

Was this review helpful?

On my most recent job as part of a marking team, we started a whiteboard full of words and phrases that irritated us - this got longer and more pedantic with each passing day, and there’s many in this book, with fabulous alternatives. “Per my last email” is one of my biggest pet peeves and yet, I use it often as it’s so passively aggressive I love it.

It’s not too heavy a book, and you can flick through it, picking and choosing the topics you want to read. It’s not masses of prose; each page has a list of amusing examples for you to use these new fandangled (excellent word choice) words.

I know a few people who would love to have this on their bedside table. I am determined to get some of the more obscure words into everyday vernacular, probably confusing everyone in the process. But I would feel superior in every way - like a walking thesaurus.

Was this review helpful?

This is an uproarious lexicon for logophiles interested in ceremonious lexicon for humdrum bureaucratic usage in lieu of pedestrian phraseology.

Got that? No. You need this book. :D

The introduction informs us that there are two hundred and seventy three thousand words in the English language (!!!!) and yet we seem to be using a restricted set of words over and over again. The purpose of the book is to provide some rather verbose (and entertaining) alternatives to our otherwise banal office lingo. The book is hilarious, beginning right from the disclaimer that elaborates with gusto on how “no words were harmed in the process of making this book’.

As the cover page promises us, the book contains witty, wicked, and wonderfully weird workplace words and phrases. The topics cover a motley list of topics related not just to official conversations but also comparatively ignored utterances such as email signoffs, morning greetings, and auto replies. It includes even the latest vocabulary requirements pertaining to getting muted or frozen during online meetings. Every word is accompanied by its meaning and an example of its usage. In all, the book contains more than 400 words and phrases, so it is obviously not a ‘read in one go’ book, especially if you intend to implement whatever you have learnt.

How practical is this book? After all, knowing words isn’t enough. The listener also needs to understand what you are saying, especially in spoken conversation where there is no access to a dictionary. Well… Quite a few of the included words are very practical and can definitely be incorporated easily in your formal parlance. Be aware of the meanings though because some words included herein might cause you to lose your job.  Some words such as stupendous and inundated are fairly common and easily understandable. Some words such as ninnyhammer or beneficent are uncommon but guessable. So even they are fine. However, words such as aprosexia or negotious sound like one thing but mean something else entirely. Use these at your own risk, unless you are conversing with another purchaser of this book.

I just wish the book came with some illustrations. As a humour book, funny sketches would have added to the appeal of the words and would also have provided even more comic relief. Plus, sketches work as a useful visual aid to seal the word further in the memory. In its current format, it appears to be a plain dictionary, though the content is nothing but. So though the content isn’t boring, it looks like it is!

Overall, this was an entertaining and enlightening read. Word aficionados will certainly relish this book. And if you aren’t blessed with an extensive vocabulary, you could check this book out to impress your superiors at the office. Don’t go by its prosaic appearance. The book is quite handy.

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Oh man, this book was such a delight and a breath of fresh air. If you have ever used the phrase as ‘per my last email,’ you are gonna want to read this book

Per my last email is a fun and quirky guidebook filled with alternative phrases and words to make you the best communicator at work.

This book was a fun and easy read and totally tailored for every type of worker. It has vocabulary for greeting and for resigning as well ..It was hard not to laugh because it's just so witty

A huge thanks to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing my review copy.

Was this review helpful?

This wasn't what I was expecting. I had anticipated a clever and humorous book, but it actually turned out to be more like a thesaurus. I did enjoy the humor, but thought it would be more so told through funny stories, or perhaps in an email appearance format. Sorry, was just a miss for me.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for the EArc NetGalley and Andrews McNeel Publishing. This is a humorous and useful resource for anyone that has a job and loves to expand their vocabulary. As a new boss I will absolutely use this when writing my employee reviews. Fantabulous read!

Was this review helpful?

This was cute but it's more of a thesaurus than a book. I guess I was hoping for some more social commentary. I noted some fun words down but I'd probably forget them in the spur of the moment. The words themselves were fun but I'm not sure who the target audience would be, or what the purpose would be of owning this book. I definitely noted down the Out of Office replies because I never know what to write for those!

Was this review helpful?

Per My Last Email by Stephanie K. Wright was a fun quick read, I noted down quite a few of the funny platitudes that I only wish I could use at work 😉
I can see this book being gifted to a few office workers as secret santa presents!
Thank you to the Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me this review copy.

Was this review helpful?

This book is a lot of fun but it's also an informative guide to using new language in our business communications.
I fell in love with the different out of office, could be using one of them.
Funny and brilliant, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Was this review helpful?

I am going to guess I am just not the audience for this book. I got this book in hopes I would laugh and have new ways to say.. per my last email and other jabs like that. This would be a good book for someone who hasn't spent the last 15 years working with email, cubicles or the normal secretarial positions.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Per My Last Email by Stephanie K. Wright is a short, 130-page handbook to workplace vocabulary that will have you in stitches laughing. I wasn't initially sure what this book was. A dictionary? A guidebook? A memoir? It turns out that this book is all three. I knew that I needed to read this book when I saw this sentence in the synopsis: "Tired of phrases like “circle back,” “follow up,” or the dreaded “let’s take this offline”? This hilarious guide will reinvigorate your vocabulary with direct and delightful alternatives to stale corporate speak." Who hasn't heard those phrases before?

Here is an excerpt from a section titled A Brave New World:

"I was on mute: Navigating the world of video conferencing
Who knew you'd be spending your workdays on video conferences? Reminding people to mute or unmute themselves? Or being concerned over whether or not your picture is going to freeze? Welcome to the world of artless overstepping, unexpected dog barking, quizzical internet issues, and diverting toddler interruptions."

As you can see from the excerpt above, the author is extremely funny, and this book is seriously entertaining. Not only does the book include words and phrases pre-pandemic times, it also includes specific phrases that have only recently developed in 2020 and 2021. One highlight of this book is the chapter on phrases that we should use while working from home. Instead of saying "You're frozen," the author drums up a list of nearly a dozen alternative words, some of which I had never heard of before. It's satirical and meant to be a joke, but I can't help wondering how much fun work would be if we actually adopted these phrases. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of books in the humor genre, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in October!

Was this review helpful?

Whether you work from home or from the office, this book has lots of fun and quirky alternatives to everyday office-talk. I liked the small sections and the numerous examples. I wish my GRE Verbal exam textbooks had been so much fun to read. I would be careful though before using any of the examples and sample texts because it's all contextual to your workspace but if you are on good terms with most people you interact with and they have a sense of humour, this has brilliant ideas to spice up the old.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary review copy for an honest review. I enjoyed this quick read.

Was this review helpful?

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. Are you so tired of writing email after email and then all sounding the same? Especially in this age of COVID? This is the book for you. It absolutely takes the age we are in and breathes some life into emails and the workplace. Highly recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Was this review helpful?

This is a funny and entertaining nonfiction book, that I will be keeping in my ebook library forever! This would make the perfect present for Secret Santa or a colleague's birthday/leaving or any special occasion really. Relatable for anyone who has worked in an office, and those who deal with emails as a daily communication method. This has now become my go-to reference when I am looking for a witty reply within my emails and will be recommending to my social circle who share the same sense of humour as me.

If you are looking for a serious textbook about writing emails, then this is not the book for you! This is a light-hearted read that doesn't take itself seriously.

Highly recommended for anyone wanting a laugh on that daily commute!

Was this review helpful?