Enough Is Enuf

Enough Is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell by Gabe Henry
4/15/25; 304 pages
HarperCollins

Enough Is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell by Gabe Henry is a very highly recommended, brief and humorous account of the 500-year history of the various movements to simplify the spelling of English words.

"There's a reason spelling bees are only common in English speaking countries: English spelling is absurd." 
This is a sentiment I'm well acquainted with as someone who was out on the first round of my 6th grade spelling bee. I celebrated when spell check came into our lives. As Henry points out, there are two problems: English has 44 sounds but only 26 letters and every sound in English has 4 ways of spelling it. Anyone who has ever taught a child to read understands how complicated it is. A study showed that it takes children take 2-3 times longer to grasp English spelling.

Enough Is Enuf focuses on the linguistic history and other factors that have contributed to the complexity of spelling and those who promoted changing it. Over the years there have been numerous who attempted to simplify spelling including, in part, a 12th century monk named Ormin, John Cheke, Ben Franklin, Noah Webster (who smuggled in dozens of simplifications such as colour to color in his dictionary), Mark Twain, Melvill Dewey, Eliza Burnz, C. S. Lewis, George Bernard Shaw, Charles Darwin, Theodore Roosevelt, U2, Prince, and Def Leppard, and, currently, textspeak.

I was engrossed, informed, and entertained throughout this historical look at those who tried to reform the spelling of the English language. He honestly points out that one drawback to any simplify spelling movement is who really wants to learn how to read all over again? Included at the end is an abbreviated dictionary of simplified spelling based on Noah Webster's writing,  a section called "Muzik and Liriks," notes, and an index.

Enough Is Enuf is a well-written, well-researched, and entertaining history. Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.