Never judge a book by its cover… especially this one.
Michael Lewis’s book on English verbs doesn’t look like a must-read, but it’s one of the most fascinating books I’ve picked up in years. I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
It isn’t a thriller or a mystery. It’s a revelation about how English actually works.
Lewis argues that, unlike verbs in many European languages, English verbs aren’t fundamentally tied to time: they are tied to the speaker’s perception of an event.
For example:
“I’m catching the 8.30 train tomorrow.”
Grammatically present.
Semantically future.
But the real meaning? Certainty. The writer sees the event as fixed.
“I will be on the 8.30 train tomorrow.”
Same time reference: totally different attitude.
This expresses intent, not certainty.
Once you see this, you realise how much power English gives a writer. By shifting verb constructions, you can:
✨ signal emotion
✨ drop subtle clues
✨ create ambiguity
✨ mislead deliberately
✨ reveal a character’s state of mind
All through grammar, not plot.
The book may look unassuming, but if you love language, it’s a gem. It made me see English from a completely fresh angle.
Never judge a book by its cover. Sometimes the plainest covers hide the richest insights.