A humorous and charming investigation into what it really means to have proper mannersMost of us know a bit about what passes for good manners—holding doors open, sending thank-you notes, no elbows on
Words are essential to our everyday lives. An average person spends his or her day enveloped in conversations, e-mails, phone calls, text messages, directions, headlines, and more. But how often do w
The English language is a battlefield. Since the age of Shakespeare, arguments over correct usage have been bitter, and have always really been about contesting values—morality, politics, and class. T
"Exemplary…Hitchings has created a fascinating, wholly readable, and gratifyingly informative book."---Financial Times (London) The English language is a battlefield. Since the age of Shakespeare, arg
AN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEARThe Secret Life of Words is a wide-ranging account of the transplanted, stolen, bastardized words we've come to know as the English languag. It's a history of English as
A Los Angeles Times Favorite Book of the YearIn 1746, Samuel Johnson undertook the Herculean task of writing the first comprehensive English dictionary. Imagining he could complete the jo
A lighthearted investigation into what it really means to have proper English manners traces how polite behaviors have developed and changed throughout time, exploring traditions ranging from hospital
A celebration of the greatest kind of shop in the world, by an award-winning cast of writers including Ali Smith, Michael Dirda, Elif Shafak and Daniel Kehlmann. A cabinet of curiosities, a time machi
Christopher Hibbert draws on every known contemporary source to provide a minutely detailed look at the fascinating writer Samuel Johnson. Using facts and anecdotes, Hibbert delivers intimate glimpse