Howard W. Bergerson

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Howard W. Bergerson
Minneapolis, Minnesota
DiedFebruary 19, 2011(2011-02-19) (aged 88)
Kirkland, Washington
Occupation
  • Writer
  • poet
NationalityAmerican
GenreConstrained writing
Notable works

Howard William Bergerson (July 29, 1922 – February 19, 2011) was an American writer and poet, noted for his mastery of

wordplay
.

Work

Bergerson's first volume of poetry,

Ethel R. Fuller
.

By 1961, Bergerson's interests had shifted to wordplay and

Guinness Book of World Records as the longest palindrome in English.[1][5][6]

In 1969, Bergerson became editor of

vocabularyclept poetry.[1][7] He also published games and puzzles in Reader's Digest and other magazines.[6]

His 1973 book Palindromes and Anagrams was influential among wordplay enthusiasts,[8][9] and has been hailed by critics as a "sine qua non for all serious logologists"[10] and the greatest ever book on palindromes.[11] He is often cited, along with Leigh Mercer and J. A. Lindon, as one of the greatest palindromists of all time.[9][12]

Personal life

Bergerson was born in

Guadalcanal Campaign of World War II, he moved to Sweet Home, Oregon, down the road from the mill where he worked as a shingle weaver for over 50 years.[1][6] In 1967 he met and married Nellie Wilson (née McLaughlin) and adopted her three youngest children; the marriage lasted until Nellie's death in 1987. His subsequent marriage, to Christine Stamm, lasted three years.[2][6]

In 2010 Bergerson moved from Sweet Home to Woodinville, Washington. He died the following year in Kirkland, Washington.[2][6]

Bibliography

References

  1. ^
    Word Ways: The Journal of Recreational Linguistics
    . 43 (2): 82–88.
  2. ^ a b c d "Howard W. Bergerson (Obituary)". The Seattle Times. February 23, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  3. Beyond Language: Adventures in Word and Thought
    . Charles Scribner's Sons.
  4. Word Ways: The Journal of Recreational Linguistics
    . 2 (3): 135.
  5. ^ Friedman, Neil S. (February 21, 2002). "This Week's Attitude". Canarsie Courier. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Howard W. Bergerson (Obituary)". The New Era. March 2, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
  7. ^ Richler, Howard (1999). A Bawdy Language: How a Second-rate Language Slept Its Way to the Top. Stoddart. p. 188.
  8. ISBN 978-1-101-58863-5
    .
  9. ^ a b House, Kelly (March 14, 2012). "Portland's Mark Saltveit to battle for title of world's best palindromist". The Oregonian. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  10. Word Ways: The Journal of Recreational Linguistics
    . 6 (4): 195–197.
  11. ^ "The Greatest Palindrome Book Ever". The Palindromist (3). Palindromist Press: 32.
  12. ISBN 978-1-56512-109-6
    .

External links
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