SHORTLIST
Cover of Says Who?

Says Who?

Says Who? by Anne Curzan is one of 2026's most credible books, appearing on 1 of the year's most respected lists, including McKinsey & Company, for a Consensus Score of 12 out of 100.

Appears on these lists

Our take

AI-drafted

Curzan, a linguist who has spent years fielding grammar complaints as a public radio contributor, uses that vantage point to trace where rules like the split-infinitive taboo or the singular-they debate actually came from, and how often they turn out to be relatively recent inventions rather than timeless law. Reviewers responded well to the book's temperament as much as its content: it argues for treating usage questions as genuinely interesting historical and social questions rather than moral ones, without ever being condescending to readers who do care about the rules.

In the press

  • As a guide through the labyrinth of language, Curzan provides a road map that makes for an enjoyable, informative journey.
    Kirkus Reviews

How the Consensus Score is calculated

Our Consensus Score is our own transparent editorial metric — not a user rating. It weighs each list by the credibility of its source, how recent the listing is, and any award status. Here is the full breakdown.

SourceAuthorityRecencyAwardContribution
McKinsey & Company0.800.701.00×0.56
Weighted sum → Score0.5612

Similar consensus books

Because they appear on some of the same lists.

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Frequently asked

What lists is Says Who? on?

Says Who? appears on 1 list in our 2026 corpus, including McKinsey & Company.

What is its Consensus Score?

Says Who? has a Consensus Score of 12 out of 100, our transparent editorial measure of how many credible lists agree on it.