The extraordinary story of the development and spread of the English language, from Dark Age Britain to the age of the Internet?Born as a Germanic tongue with the arrival in Britain of the Anglo-Saxon
The English language that is spoken by one billion people around the world is a linguistic mongrel, its vocabulary a diverse mix resulting from centuries of borrowing from other tongues. From the Celt
"What is the shade of difference between Sod's Law and Murphy's Law? What is the Helsinki Bus Station Theory? What part do the McNaughton Rules and the Miranda Law play in criminal justice? There are
Part of a series of literature guides designed for GCSE coursework requirements, this book contains author details, background to the work, summaries of the text, critical commentaries, analysis of ch
'Another clever criminal plunge into history' GuardianElizabeth I approaches the end of her illustrious reign, the plague is raging in London, and the Privy Council has ordered the theaters closed. St
'Another clever criminal plunge into history' GuardianOn a foggy morning in 1602, a boyhood friend of Nick Revill arrives in London. When Peter Agate announces that he wants to try his hand at acting
The English language is a minefield, full of words that look and sound alike but mean very different things. The computer spell-checker has made life even harder, since it is dependent on our knowing
Have you ever been embarassed by the bons mots that some people toss casually into conversation, or wished that you had a clever retort?Faux Pas offers insight into hundreds of these phrases that rea
In the fog-shrouded autumn of 1873 a man dies violently while searching a burial chamber on the outskirts of the city of Salisbury. At the same time Tom Ansell, a young lawyer, arrives from London to
The English language that is spoken by one billion people around the world is a linguistic mongrel, its vocabulary a diverse mix resulting from centuries of borrowing from other tongues. From the Celt
'Highly entertaining' Sunday TimesIt's the summer of 1604 and the Spanish are in London. Many years after the ill-fated Armada, they are negotiating a peace treaty with the English. Nick Revill's acti
War words have embedded themselves in our collective psyche; British politicians are fond of invoking the 'Dunkirk spirit' whenever the country is faced with major crisis or even minor adversity, and
War words have embedded themselves in our collective psyche; British politicians are fond of invoking the 'Dunkirk spirit' whenever the country is faced with major crisis or even minor adversity, and
Five compelling interlinked mysteries from Michael Jecks, Susanna Gregory, Bernard Knight Ian Morson and Philip Gooden. Bermondsey Priory, 1114. A young chaplain succumbs to the temptations of the fl
575 AD: A baby is washed up on the Irish coast and is taken to the nearest abbey. He grows up to become a scholar and a monk, but, in early adulthood, he appears to have become possessed, scribbling e
A mysterious book of prophecies written by a sixth century Irish monk has puzzled scholars through the ages. Foretelling wars, plagues and rebellions, the Black Book of Bran is said to have predicted
575 AD: A baby is washed up on the Irish coast and is taken to the nearest abbey. He grows up to become a scholar and a monk, but, in early adulthood, he appears to have become possessed, scribbling e
The Latin inscription carved on the gleaming blade read ?He who lives in falsehood slays his soul; he who lies, his honor.” If only they had known how true those words would prove to be. The Sword of
During excavation work at Glastonbury Abbey in the year 1191, an ancient leaden cross is discovered buried several feet below the ground. Inscribed on it are the words Hic iacet sepultus inclitus rex
Lovingly crafted by a Saxon swordsmith shortly before the Norman invasion, treachery and deceit are the Sword of Shame's constant companions. From the Norman conquest of 1066 to the murder of Thomas
