Bergen Evans

Evans's A Dictionary of Contemporary American Usage (1957), cowritten with his sister Cornelia, produced an apparent spin-off: the television show The Last Word, which he hosted Sundays on CBS, from 1957 to 1959.

"[5] A July 1958 essay by Evans for the New York Times Magazine, in which he denounced the use of clichés, prompted an amiable rejoinder a month later by writer and naturalist Joseph Wood Krutch, who defended their use.

The Peabody citation reads, "It is entertainment and public service—made so by the wit, charm, and erudition of Bergen Evans, John Mason Brown, and their distinguished guest panelists.

This sparkling weekly discussion of words, the basis of all understanding and progress, makes it clear that learning can be fun, and that educational programs do not have to be dull.

Science writer Martin Gardner gave the book a positive review describing it as a "hilarious blast at human gullibility ... a witty compendium of mistaken beliefs, scientific and otherwise.