The Illustrated Etymologicon

<p><b>“<i>The Illustrated Etymologicon</i> is a dizzying, delightful trip through the evolution and accidents of language…Pen-and-ink drawings, their style steampunk and charming, illuminate this glorious exploration, which runs the gamut from gambling to astrology to bucks, rounding it all out with a fun quiz to further tickle linguistic interests.” Review, <i>Foreword</i>(March/April issue)</b></p><p><b> *** A NEW, BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED HARDBACK EDITION OF THE <i>SUNDAY TIMES</i> NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER, PUBLISHED ON ITS TENTH ANNIVERSARY *** </b></p><b><p>''Witty and erudite ... stuffed with the kind of arcane information that nobody strictly needs to know, but which is a pleasure to learn nonetheless.'' Nick Duerden, <i>Independent</i>.</p><p>''Particularly good ... Forsyth takes words and draws us into their, and our, murky history.'' William Leith, <i>Evening Standard</i>.</p></b><p>The Etymologicon is an occasionally ribald, frequently witty and unerringly erudite guided tour of the secret labyrinth that lurks beneath the English language.</p><p>What is the actual connection between disgruntled and gruntled? What links church organs to organised crime, California to the Caliphate, or brackets to codpieces?</p><p>Mark Forsyth''s riotous celebration of the idiosyncratic and sometimes absurd connections between words is a classic of its kind: a mine of fascinating information and a must-read for word-lovers everywhere.</p><b><p>''Highly recommended'' <i>Spectator</i></p></b>