Part of the pleasure of this book is to reveal the provenance of the well-worn quote (or misquote)—my cup runneth over, ay, there’s the rub, to err is human, the spice of life—but al
The ability to engage and entertain your companions always stands you in good stead—but many people feel nervous with strangers or fear that they lack the skills to put others at ease. Fortunately, He
From the author of the bestselling I Used to Know That comes a veracious cornucopia of 500 of the best, trickiest, and oft-misused words in the English language that will have you confabulating with t
The English language is a versatile and agile thing, and as our world changes, so too does the way we use it. Aspirin, television, selfie—there was a time when these creations didn’t exist, but rather
Don't know Heracles from Herodotus? Many of us wish that we could fill in the gaps in our education in order to avoid those embarrassing situations when we feel as if we don't know things that others
This book looks at some of the controversial aspects of English usage—grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation—and tries to assess what matters and what doesn’t. Looking at why it pays t
A runaway hit and Sunday Times bestseller in 2008, My Grammar and I has continued to grow in popularity, becoming the go-to guide for grammar. Repackaged with a fresh jacket design, this much-loved gi
Serious answers to rhetorical questions--what's not to like? For those of us who have long wondered where bears go to take care of their business, if the Pope is actually Catholic, or whether anyone
Don’t be down in the dumps if you can’t cut the mustard when asked the definition of certain phrases—this down-to-earth guide is just the ticket. This collection contains some fascinating and remarkab
Dust off those cerebral filing cabinets and remind yourself of all those facts you really should know! From pi and Pythagoras to presidents and popes, prime ministers to prime numbers, literature to l
Don't know Midas from Oedipus? Wouldn't recognize a concerto from a sonata? Many of us wish that we could fill in the gaps in our education in order to avoid those embarrassing situations when
We take summer holidays for granted but, back in the 1940s, the picture was very different. War had gripped Britain. Wave after wave of bombs fell, beaches were closed off, and petrol was rationed by
