This set of personal reflections on English words is based partly on the author’s background as a South African who grew up immersed in British English. But his odd encounters with American English (one of which leads to the book’s title) are only one aspect of this blog-like compilation.

Entries range from odd words, like the term for using cheese to predict the future, to problems with using spell check; from famous last words to tongue twisters; and from blunders caused by typos to a baby’s first words.

This expansive collection is suffused with a quirky sense of humor and numerous personal reflections - on a pun heard in high school that resonates sixty years later and the author’s stand on preserving the meaning of notorious.

Several jokes (including one about onomatopoeia) add to brightening the reader’s journey, as does his introduction to the non-existent but intriguing Ms. Lillian Mountweazel. More seriously, he reflects on the pros and cons of politically correct language and offers concluding thoughts on the importance of choosing and using words carefully.