Figures of Speech

By Mervyn Peake

Book Overview

The eccentric talent of the legendary Mervyn Peake figures prominently in FIGURES OF SPEECH, a playful series of drawings that challenge the reader to guess what familiar saying each picture portrays. "We give no table of contents here, for to do so would spoil your pleasure," wrote author-illustrator Mervyn Peake when this quirky book was first published in 1939. "Each drawing represents a particular Figure of Speech." Following were twenty-nine drawings, identified only by number: a couple with their noses on fire; a gentleman cutting pages from a book; a tropical explorer resting his heels inside water glasses. Revealed in a key at the end were the "figures of speech" the drawings portrayed (in this case, "burning their bridges," "cutting a long story short," and, of course, "cooling his heels"). Now this idiosyncratic volume has been lovingly reissued, its original black-and-white drawings set against colorful panels. Whether enjoyed simply for its witty, intriguing, and masterly pictures or used as a game book with family or friends, Figures of Speech will delight devoted followers of Mervyn Peake and everyone else who loves visual puns.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0763621765
• ISBN13: 9780763621766
• Release Date: August 2003
• Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
• Length: 1 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 5 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 12

Customer Reviews

The puzzles will amuse and maybe even stump you

This book is one of those that will amuse and maybe even stump you for awhile and then remain uninteresting for years afterwards. It contains a series of drawings that are representative of a famous "figure of speech", and your goal is to determine what it is. As is always the case with such puzzles, the level of difficulty varies widely and the answers to all 29 puzzles are given at the end. However, after you discern or learn the answer, you will not find it puzzling again until enough time has past where you have completely forgotten the puzzle.