'Brilliant, revelatory and erudite. Like all the best books it lets you see the familiar world in a new way' Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon'Enlightening' Steven PinkerHell is other people. You are what you eat. Ignorance is bliss. Or is it?Meet Phrased & Confused, a guide to the great quotations that we just keep getting wrong. From ancient maxims like 'seize the day' to modern classics l...

'A joy to read' David Crystal | 'Gulp it down' Lucy Mangan | 'A gem' Simon GarfieldSwamp or bog? Guilt or shame? Clementine or tangerine?We like to think that we choose our words with care, but are we using them with any degree of accuracy - or should that be precision?For hair-splitters and language lovers, Dictionary of Fine Distinctions explores the world of the vanishingly small, teasing apart the terms that we tend to...

Why do we need art?What Art Does is an invitation to explore this vital question. It is a chance to understand how art is made by all of us. How it creates communities, opens our worlds, and can transform us.Curious and playful, richly illustrated, full of ideas and life, it is an inspiring call to imagine a different future.

From minding your Ps and Qs to wondering why X should mark the spot, Alphabetical is a book for everyone who loves words and language. Whether it's how letters are arranged on keyboards or Viking runes, textspeak or zip codes, this book will change the way you think about letters for ever.How on Earth did we fix upon our twenty-six letters, what do they really mean, and how did we come to write them down in the first place? Michael Rosen takes you on an unforgettable adven...

If it’s time for a rhyme, or you need a satiric lyric, the Collins Rhyming Dictionary is the fastest and easiest way to refine your line.The most accessible way to find the rhyme you need. Other rhyming dictionaries are characterised by the use of obscure words for padding, subsections for disyllabic and trisyllabic rhymes, and reverse phonetic order – but we avoid such complications and, as a result, have the most practical rhyming book available.The most satisfactory rhym...

"For language lovers, this book, with all its verbal tangles and wit, is sure to, in its own words, 'pass mustard'" ( Poets & Writers).Inspired by Daniel Menaker's tenure at the New Yorker, this collection of comical, revelatory errors foraged from the wilds of everyday English comes with commentary by the author, illustrations by Roz Chast, and a foreword from Billy Collins.During his time at the renowned magazine, Menaker happened acros...

Whatever you need, Susie Dent has a word for it.Do you know the name for someone who loves reading in bed, or what a binfluencer does? How about the medieval invention of Lubberland as a place for lazy teenagers, or the story of Mayday as a request for help? Lexicographer extraordinaire and Queen of Countdown's Dictionary Corner, Susie Dent does and here are her greatest discoveries.From

To untangle the knot of interlocking meanings of these painted words, logophile and mythologist Phil Cousineau begins each fascinating word entry with his own brief definition. He then fills it in with a tint of etymology and a smattering of quotes that show how the word is used, ending with a list of companion words. The words themselves range from commonplace — like biscuit, a twice-baked cake for Roman soldiers — to loanwords including chaparral, from the Basque shepherds who came to th...

I very much enjoy your codewords - the best Ive found. I suffer a lot of long-distance flights and they are perfect to while away the hours between London and Sydney! RichardIm in crossword heaven. You are such a challenge but great. I am a retired teacher and my brain screams for challenge. I have at last found it. TV, etc. is no challenge, nor does it satisfy the inquiring mind. My son-in-law gave me a codeword book and they are not nearly as good as yours. Thanks so...

This deck, from acclaimed Puzzlemaster Will Shortz, crossword puzzle editor for the New York Times and regular guest on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday, are packed with 75 brainteasers and mindbenders, each designed to challenge puzzlers of all stripes. A perfect gift for puzzle enthusiasts of all ages who want to test their brainpower while standing in line, commuting to work, or hanging out with friends.

Puzzles and Words is a medley of puzzles and surprising word stories in one pocket-sized volume from Australia's best-known wordsmith, David Astle.There are over 170 original brain teasers from anagrams to word pyramids to keep all levels and ages challenged and amused. Accompanying these are some 200 of David's entertaining word stories that unlock the secrets and origins of everything from what a charnie is, to where Google's name came from and how Spanish roosters crow....

FROM THE INVENTOR OF 'THE LEAGUE OF THE LEXICON' BOARDGAME – THE PERFECT GIFT FOR ALL WHO LOVE WORDS AND LANGUAGE.'A word-lover's dream' Stephen Fry'The book is delightful and all quiz-setters will fall on it' The SpectatorWant to uncover the secret of Ikea product names? Learn the art of Scottish insults? Or understand why pedants are pedantic? Here you will find all this and more.Part ency...