Story of Be

It''s the most simple, unassuming, innocent-looking verb: ''to be''. Yet it is jam-packed with more different meanings, forms, and uses than any other English word. As he reveals be''s multiple incarnations, David Crystal takes us to the heart of our flexible and changing language. He tells the intriguing story in 26 chapters, each linked to a particular usage. We meet circumstantial be (''how are...