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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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’
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,
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
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
