Judy Hochberg's delightful new book ¿Por qué? 101 Questions about Spanish … is an engrossing and meticulously researched 326-page book that will be a joy to read for any Spanish linguistics teacher, general linguist, Spanish speaker, or any person curious about how language (and Spanish in particular) functions … [A] book many will wish they could have read when they embarked on their adventure in language learning and teaching.

Hispania

Those who find language learning nightmarish may well be beguiled ... The book treats queries on matters such as Latin's metamorphosis into Spanish, the famous ñ ... and, yes, the plaintive cry - to which Hochberg's reply is supremely reassuring - "is it too late for me to learn Spanish?"

Times Higher Education

A great read. Working around 101 questions and the answers to them, this punchy format really adds to the book's appeal ... Highly recommended!

Association for Language Learning

[Hochberg's] approach is both playful and academic, and the linguistic interrogations triggered by her own experiences as a student, researcher and teacher benefit from deftly structured and well-documented answers ... Hochberg's meticulously researched book offers an invigorating perspective on how a language can be learned, taught, and – let's give the question mark the pride of place – subjected to obstinate and fruitful enquiries.

Babel

¿Por qué? is valuable even for skilled Spanish speakers. It will help us to know much more and to be proud of our language.

El Diario [Bloomsbury translation]

A masterclass in linguistic exposition - a hugely illuminating blend of historical explanation and present-day world-wide usage. English readers will especially appreciate the clarifying glosses and analogies. All languages need introductions like this one.

David Crystal, Honorary Professor of Linguistics, University of Bangor, UK