Mark Forsyth

Being the type of pedantic reader who double checks the vocabulary of historical novels at Etymonline, and whose favourite fun fact is that 'feisty' means a little farting dog, I couldn't resist this book. I think the paper version might be more accessible than the ebook, however - this is one to browse, not devour page by page. A host of interesting, obscure and quotable word origins, from avocado testicles to injecting sausage poison (Botox), plus 'who coined what', this is the perfect show more gift for anyone who gens up on episodes of QI so that they can bore people silly with pointless 'Did you know ...?' trivia. show less

I have this book on my Kindle and I heard the original BBC series so; why do I feel the need to own it as an audio book too?

If you have yet to come across the Etymologicon, then you have a real treat awaiting you. Get it NOW! It doesn't matter whether it be in the original paper form, the e-book or this audio book - they're all great. The Etymologicon describes itself as, "a circular stroll through the hidden connections of the English language". Sounds a bit grand, but the reality is a fun show more book that is packed with fascinating stories of the origins, and unexpected links, between English words. It started life as the Inky Fool blog, created by Mark Forsyth and evolved into a humorous, but educational, tome.

Each chapter follows a different strand through our beloved language and, whilst I am content to acknowledge my ignorance, I will not believe any of you who tells me that they knew all the intricate links in any chapter - and that includes aficionados, such as myself, who have read and heard the book on many occasions!

This audio version does not scimp, it covers the complete book on 6 CD's. I do wonder about some audio books; when you've listened once to a whodunnit, will you want to listen again? On the other hand, the Etymologicon is so packed with information that one can read it, several times and listen to the disc copy on multiple occasions and STILL not glean all the information that Mr Forsyth offers. If one is ever invited to a dinner party, given by a superior friend, then put part of this collection on your car's media player. I guarantee that, when you arrive, you will have a whole bunch of interesting facts to work into your conversation: indeed, I have invented the game of how many such facts one can introduce in a single evening (double points are awarded for the most esoteric!) Three players, in the know, can completely banjax a condescending host, with in minutes - try it! show less

''There's a lovely story about a Tokyo department store, back in the days when Christmas was unknown in Japan. The head of this store had heard rumours of a Western tradition that involved a massive shopping spree and he wanted to introduce it to Tokyo. So he sent some of his stuff to investigate, and the result was that on Christmas Eve the shop's main window was decorated with a huge Santa Claus nailed to a cross.''

What is the evolution of the Christmas Dinner throughout History? What is show more the actual (and rather complicated...) reason we celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December? How did the Christmas Tree manage to invade our households? How fed-up could a mother be to invent the Advent countdown? What is the big deal with carols? What prompted the transition from St Nickolas to Santa Claus? And what exactly is the significance of Boxing Day for those of us who aren't British?

With honest and accurate remarks and a few snarky but well-meant and elegant comments, Mark Forsyth writes about misconceptions, misunderstandings, confusion, strange customs and the ever-lasting warmth of Christmas, no matter the era or the increasingly absurd marketing.

''If you ask me any simple question - 'What's the capital of France?', 'When does the last train leave?', 'Would you like a drink?' - I can answer Paris, midnight and whiskey. But that is all dross. There is Something Else, something much more important, and I cannot tell you what that Something Else is; and if I could tell you, it would not be worth the telling. We cannot say it, but we can, somehow, do it. And we do it at Christmas.''

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/ show less

A fun, quick read full of Greek terms for rhetorical techniques that we all periodically use without being consciously aware of it. Although I doubt I’ll remember many of the Greek terms themselves, the techniques themselves and the examples of their application are very compelling. To select a random example, I was struck by the revelation that vowels were probably pronounced differently in Shakespeare’s time. So we have lost some of his rhymes and gained new ones thanks to changing show more pronunciation. It’s always interesting to read something that systematises and classifies knowledge that you already have without realising it. I was never taught the correct order of adjectives in English lessons, yet I know what sounds right and wrong. ‘The Friendly Big Giant’ is wrong; it has to be ‘The Big Friendly Giant’. Why? Who knows. Forsythe also notes that certain rhetorical techniques are particularly hard to achieve in English, being better suited to Latin and its more direct heirs. He explains an ostensibly dry topic clearly and amusingly, so this was a charming Sunday afternoon diversion. As well as being highly readable, it's also prettily presented. show less