KENSINGTON RESIDENT CHARLES HARRINGTON ELSTER, HOST OF “A WAY WITH WORDS”

By, Robin A. Williams

Charles Harrington Elster, a prominent writer known for his books on vocabulary, pronunciation, and style, as well as his public radio show “A Way With Words” has passed away at the age of 65. He died at his home in Kensington from cancer, as confirmed by his wife, Myrna Zambrano.

Elster, who described himself as a lover of words and syllables, wrote popular reference books aimed at everyday people with a passion for the English language. His works were both educational and humorous but always taken seriously by his audience. He was so respected in his field that he occasionally filled in for William Safire, the late author of the “On Language” column in the New York Times Magazine.

Born on July 14, 1957, in Queens, New York, Elster was the only child of Reinhardt Elster, a principal harpist for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, and his wife, Nancy, a piano teacher. He attended Yale University, where he met his future wife, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in American Studies in 1981. After moving to San Diego, he worked for a computer company and developed a vocabulary-building program, while also writing his first two books, “There Is No Zoo in Zoology” (1988) and “Is There a Cow in Moscow?” (1990), which focused on pronunciation.

In 1998, Elster began co-hosting “A Way With Words” with fellow language enthusiast Richard Lederer. The show, which aired on KPBS-FM, provided a platform for listeners to ask questions about vocabulary, grammar, puns, anagrams, and other word - plays. Elster left the show in 2004 due to a dispute with management, but his legacy continues with hosts Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett.

Elster was also an accomplished narrator of audiobooks, appeared on other radio programs, and served on the San Diego City Board of Library Commissioners. His books include “Test of Time,” a novel that introduced Mark Twain to the 21st century, and “What In the Word?,” a collection of questions and answers about the English language. He also authored “The Accidents of Style: Good Advice on How Not to Write Badly” and “How to Tell Fate from Destiny and Other Skillful Word Distinctions,” his last book was published in 2018. Apart from his writing, Elster enjoyed playing blues piano, cooking, and watching”Jeopardy!” Services are yet to be announced.

David S Tam, AAMS™ Financial Advisor