What's New
Recent news about Ralph and his books.
September 19, 2016
Ralph’s Antioch Review essay
“Smoking with Mom” has been named as a “Notable Essay” in The Best American Essays of 2016 .
September 19, 2016
Ralph essay about his grandmother,
“ Edith Tries to Smile ,” was published in a recent Antioch Review.
September 19, 2016
Ralph’s essay about book-signing,
“Inscriber’s Block,” is in the Spring 2016 issue of T he American Scholar .
September 19, 2016
At long last …
For years readers of Is There Life After High School? have asked Ralph to do an updated version . Done. It can be found as a Kindle title on Amazon.
September 19, 2016
Ralph has been appointed
The American Scholar ’s online language columnist. His quarterly column is called “Wise to the Words.” The first entry is on family language can be found here .
January 25, 2015
“Smoking with Mom”
Ralph’s essay about his mother — “Smoking with Mom” — is in a recent Antioch Review .
May 17, 2014
Ralph’s essay,
“The People’s Cowboy” – about growing up in a radical family – is the the lead essay in a recent Antioch Review.
February 2, 2014
Ralph’s first e-book original,
Second Thoughts: The Power of Positive Regret , has been published as a “single” on Amazon.
February 2, 2014
Ralph was interviewed on NPR
by All Things Considered host Robert Siegel about his call for English synonyms for words borrowed from other languages.
February 2, 2014
Ralph’s first “Back Talk” column
in The American Scholar invited readers to suggest synonyms for words such as frisson, simpatico, and mensch.
February 2, 2014
Ralph has been appointed
language columnist for The American Scholar . His column, “Back Talk,” will appear on the last page of each issue.
February 2, 2014
Ralph’s essay on coined words
“Is There a Word for That?” ran in the Autumn, 2013 issue of The American Scholar .
January 1, 2013
“Nice Guys Finish Seventh” is now an e-book
“Nice Guys Finish Seventh” is now available as an e-book at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
January 1, 2013
Ralph’s essay
“ My Father’s FBI File ” appears in the Fall 2012 issue of the Antioch Review .
May 6, 2012
Ralph gave the commencement address
at Antioch University Midwest on July 15, 2012. Its text can be found here .
May 6, 2012
The Wit & Wisdom of Harry Truman
is now available as an e-book from Amazon and Barnes & Noble . A new edition has also been reprinted by David Scott Publishers. It’s available at Amazon .
May 6, 2012
The Wit & Wisdom of Oscar Wilde
is now available as an e-book at Amazon and Barnes & Noble .
May 6, 2012
Ralph’s essay
on book signing was recently published by Publishers Weekly . ‘Could You Personalize That?’ Should authors sign books? At a book fair I once signed two books to “Tom.” Tom turned out to be “Rod.” Rod refused my offer to…
May 6, 2012
Ralph’s reminiscence
about growing up in State College, Pennsylvania recently appeared in the Centre Daily Times. When I was eight and my brother Gene was eleven, we walked to the Centre Daily Times ‘s office every day after school. On the…
May 6, 2012
New Yorker
Ralph was interviewed about political misquotations by Lauren Collins of The New Yorker . OOOPS Dept. NAMES IN VAIN The New Yorker , February 27, 2012 Last month, François Hollande, the Socialist candidate for the…
March 15, 2011
Publishers Weekly
After a lively examination of catch phrases in his previous book, I Love It When You Talk Retro , Keyes takes on the use of euphemisms. With a variegated assortment of verbal evasions, which he sees as tools for…
February 7, 2011
Ralph on NPR’s All Things Considered
Ralph recently appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered program. Transcript below: MELISSA BLOCK, host: This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I’m Melissa Block. ROBERT SIEGEL, host: And I’m Robert Siegel. In his…
January 27, 2011
Los Angeles Times review of Euphemania
Book review: Euphemistically speaking In ‘ Euphemania ,’ Ralph Keyes looks at euphemisms — how they came to be and why we use them. His earlier book looked at vintage phrases. By Lori Kozlowski Los Angeles Times January…
January 10, 2011
Time Magazine Interview with Ralph Keyes
Hooking Up and Using the John: Why Do We Use So Many Euphemisms? Author Ralph Keyes is intrigued by how we say certain things without quite saying them. In Euphemania: Our Love Affair with Euphemisms , he explores…
December 29, 2010
Ralph interviewed on AirTalk (KPCC)
Ralph was interviewed on AirTalk, a program on KPCC in Los Angeles on December 29, 2010 about his book Euphemania . More information is available on the KPCC website.
December 21, 2010
Ralph interviewed on Moncrieff (Newstalk of Ireland)
Ralph was interviewed on Moncrieff , a program on Newstalk of Ireland on December 21, 2010 about his book Euphemania.
December 20, 2010
Ralph interviewed on The Book Nook (WYSO)
Ralph was recently interviewed on The Book Nook, a program on WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Part 1 (December 20) and Part 2 (December 27) of the interview are available on the WYSO website.
December 15, 2010
Ralph interviewed on The Brian Lehrer Show (WNYC)
Ralph was recently interviewed on The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC about his book Euphemania .
December 14, 2010
Ralph interviewed on Talk of the Nation (NPR)
Ralph was interviewed by Neal Conan on NPR’s Talk of the Nation program on December 14, 2010.