Martha Barnette is a longtime journalist, dynamic public speaker, and cohost of the popular radio show and podcast A Way with Words. She holds an undergraduate degree in English from Vassar College, did graduate work in classical languages at the University of Kentucky, and studied Spanish in Costa Rica. Barnette is the author of A Garden of Words, Ladyfingers & Nun's Tummies, and Dog Days & Dandelions. She lives in San Diego, California.

"Barnette combines philology, etymology, and memoir in this entertaining chronicle of her lifelong love of language . . . With a conversational tone and an infectious sense of curiosity, Barnette makes a strong case for the mundane magic of words. It's a joyful account that will delight fans of Lynne Truss."-- "PUBLISHERS WEEKLY"

"[Barnette's] engaging, curious, and friendly on-air style translates well to the page . . . Ideal for word and language lovers."-- "LIBRARY JOURNAL"

"A delightful dive into etymology, colloquial phrases, new words and more."-- "NEW YORK POST"

"This book belongs on the shelf of every word lover."

-- "SATURDAY EVENING POST"

"Blessed are they who have met Martha Barnette in person or listened to her on the radio, for they shall hear the sound of her inimitable voice in every line of this richly satisfying book. Barnette luxuriates--she absolutely wallows--in words, and her enthusiasm for language is infectious. She takes us into the studio and on the road, revealing trade secrets and sprinkling in just enough personal history to whet the appetite. Bravissima! Chef 's kiss! A delight from intro to epilogue!"

-- "MARY NORRIS, New York Times bestselling author of Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen"

"Martha Barnette is an inspiration to all worders. Friends with Words is a captivating and joyous read about language, identity, and, most importantly, life and love."-- "SARAH OGILVIE, author of The Dictionary People"

"A joyful, enchanting, always-entertaining word excursion along the wide-ranging paths of our human experience."-- "ELLEN JOVIN, bestselling author of Rebel with a Clause: Tales and Tips from a Roving Grammarian"

"This book is funny and intimate, full of entertaining pieces of etymological lore from dictionaries and databases and history books as well as other experiences with words, how we invent and forget and encounter them. If you like anecdotes about words, it's a candy store."-- "MICHAEL ERARD, author of Bye Bye I Love You: The Story of Our First and Last Words"

Publisher: Abrams Press

Pub date: 2026-08-11

Length: 320 pages