I am grateful for the kind blurbs scholars and writers have given to my books.  I do think there are some overused phrases and descriptions which should be put to rest.  Here are a few I’ve collected:

Tour de force

Essential reading

Must read or the more emphatic, “truly, a must read”

If you read only one book this year, this should be it

Seminal

Couldn’t put it down

Chapter three was worth the price of the book

The definitive work

I wish I had written it!

It repays a careful read

Vintage Piper

Judicious use of sources

The standard by which all others will be judged

Slim, but weighty volume

The best book I’ve read on this topic