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
CRESTFALLEN at CHICANERY and CIRCUMLOCUTION? Have no TRUCK with TOMFOOLERY and TRUMPERY? Or OMNISCIENT about OBLOQUIES and OPSIMATHS? Whether you've answered yes, no or 'sorry, I didn't catch that', 5
Sunday Times bestselling author Caroline Taggart brings her usual gently humorous approach to punctuation, pointing out what really matters and what doesn't. In Roman times, blocks of text were comm
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
No turkey. No fruit to make a decent pudding. No money for presents. Your children away from home to keep them safe from bombing; your husband, father and brothers off fighting goodness knows where. H
In Roman times, blocks of text were written without even wordspacingnevermindpunctuation. Orators would prepare carefully so that they didn’t get confused between, say, therapists and the rapist
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
Wherever you are, whatever the company, proper English will always stand you in good stead. However, the world's most important language does have a number of difficult areas and pitfalls for the unwa
Her Ladyship has unmatched manners. In fact, her etiquette is fit for the Queen! Let her guide you through every situation, formal and everyday, with tongue-in-cheek yet practical advice on proper beh
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
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
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
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
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
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
A potted history of Britain in 100 royal places, a round-up of Britain’s most fascinating royal attractions, written in an amusing, accessible style. Puts the spotlight on some of Britain’
A book to inspire logophiles and the rest of us to use uncommon words in their correct context. Perhaps you have wanted to ameliorate your atavistic lexicon, engage in a little intellectual badina
A question that doesn't require an answer - what kind of question is that? The rhetorical question is one of those grammatical quirks that just doesn't seem to have any logic to it. However, now, than
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
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
Would you be down in the dumps if, when asked the definition of certain phrases, it was all Greek to you? Let's not beat about the bush: the English language is littered with linguistic quirks, which,
How many times have you wished that you'd been taught Latin at school? Or that your history stretched all the way back to Greek and Roman myths and legends? Or perhaps you wish you knew all about the
If you've forgotten the capital city of Chile; the basics of osmosis; how to solve a quadratic equation; the names of the Bennet sisters in Pride and Prejudice; who wrote the famous poem about daffodi
