TELEPHONE: 0207 474 2474


73492 A CERTAIN JE NE SAIS QUOI: Words We Pinched from Other Languages by Chloe Rhodes


English has its origins in scores of different languages of which the main ones are Anglo-Saxon and French. Through the language of the Norman conquest many Latin words entered the language and in the days of the British empire new vocabulary came in from all over the globe. Wearing dungarees (Hindi) might be a faux pas on a social occasion, and pyjamas (Persian) would be regarded as outré unless specified on the invitation. Over 200 fascinating examples. 176pp. £9.99 NOW £3.50


73336 BON MOTS, WISECRACKS, AND GAGS edited by Robert E Drennan


Sub-titled ‘The Wit of Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, and the Algonquin Round Table’. The owner of the Algonquin Hotel in New York installed a large round table for the apparent purpose of catering to a group of young, unknown literati, little thinking that it and they would become famous. The men and women who eventually made up the Vicious Circle, as they called it, embraced the Roaring Twenties for the fun-loving hell of it, setting the pace, telling the jokes, pulling the pranks and ignoring the future. They included such later luminaries as the writer and critic Dorothy Parker, the novelist and playwright Edna Ferber, theatrical stars Harpo Marx, Paul Robeson, Noël Coward and a host of other habitués. They were some of the sharpest minds of their day and their lunches were notorious for their rapid-fire banter, devastating put-downs and world-class word-play. Here are some of their finest quotes. 176 softback pages, illus. Brief biographies. $12.95 NOW £5


73511 THE STORY OF ENGLISH by Joseph Piercy


The English language is a hotchpotch, starting with the Celtic Ogham alphabet, followed by an injection of Latin. The Anglo-Saxon invasions created the language we know as Old English, which initially used a runic alphabet before adopting the Latin characters we know today. In the next millennium the Norman Conquest gradually transformed the English language by amalgamating it with French vocabulary, found in the great High Gothic literary works such as Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Wycliffe’s Bible translation. The Great Vowel Shift of the 15th century was part of the stabilisation of the language which in Shakespeare’s time exploded with expressive power largely derived from its hybrid origins. One great innovator was Milton in Paradise Lost, and in the following century Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary at last standardised spellings and meanings. The author brings the story into the present with Estuary and Digital English. 192pp. £9.99 NOW £5


73539 AMBROSE BIERCE’S


WRITE IT RIGHT by Jan Freeman


The Celebrated Cynic’s Language Peeves Deciphered, Appraised, and Annotated for 21st Century Readers. In 1909, Ambrose Bierce published several hundred of his pet peeves in a book called: Write It Right: A Little Blacklist of Literary Faults. To mark the 100th anniversary of its publication, an


editor and life-long usage geek has investigated where Bierce’s rules and taboos originated, how they have weathered the century since the blacklist and what lies ahead. ‘To demean’ does not at all mean ‘belittle’ but ‘to comport oneself’ and, when we talk of ‘jeopardizing our chances’ what we really need to use is ‘jeopardy our chances!’ Readers may be interested to know that Bierce once defined a cynic as ‘a blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be’ - enough said! 229 pages. £20 NOW £7


73551 FARNSWORTH’S CLASSICAL ENGLISH


RHETORIC by Ward Farnsworth In an indispensable reference tool, which will appeal to all lovers of the English language everywhere, the author - with impeccable clarity and in unprecedented detail - organises, illustrates and analyses the most valuable rhetorical devices that can be used to persuade, influence or otherwise affect an audience. Rhetoric, in this sense, is among the most ancient of academic disciplines, and we all use it every day - either expertly or otherwise. The book amounts to a tutorial on eloquence using, as examples, masters of the language such as Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine who could turn unassuming words into phrases that were convincing, effective and memorably beautiful. Here are the secrets of their talent - practical ways of applying, to the composition of a single sentence or a complete paragraph, old and powerful principles such as repetition and variety, suspense and relief, concealment and surprise, the creation of expectations and then the satisfaction or frustration of them. 253 pages. £24.95 NOW £10


73646 ENGLISH: The Origins, History &


Development of the Language by Katharine Watson


Firstly we are introduced to the 12 language families of the world, and the subdivisions of the Indo-European group, one of which is English. The Romans brought Latin and when the legions withdrew in 410 waves of invaders from Jutland (the Jutes), western Germany (Saxons) and southern Denmark (Angles) this was further added to, creating what we call Old English, or Anglo-Saxon. The invasion of the ruthless French- speaking Normans saw English become the language of serfs but, following the loss of Normandy, the descendants of the invaders decided to become “English” and began to take more of an interest in the native language. Little by little English re-established itself. English is continually evolving, with the Empire importing words from across the world. Many literary examples, glossary of Anglo-Saxon words and more. 56 pages, 23 x 17cm. ONLY £4


73634 ARE WE LIVE? The Funniest Bloopers from TV


and Radio by Marion Appleby A warning accompanies this hilarious and sometimes obscene collection of fluffs, farts and fisticuffs from both radio and TV - that it contains adult material and is not suitable for children! We might have guessed from the picture on the front cover of a defecating elephant. Whoever would have thought that the staid BBC, for one, would have turned


out to be staffed with such demonstrably unprofessional presenters. Here is the punctilious McDonald Hobley introducing a British politician as Sir Stifford Crapps, and there an Antique Roadshow’s ceramic expert describing a piece of Rictoria Vagina porcelain. Featuring a whole host of tongue-tied presenters and unruly celebrity guests, this little gem takes in the full spectrum of comedy gold, from wardrobe malfunctions to evil autocues, not to mention MPs fiddling erection expenses. 189 paperback pages lavishly illustrated in b/w. £7.99 NOW £3.50


23928 DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS:


Wordsworth edited by Connie Robertson The aim of this marvellous new edition is to provide the reader with, firstly, the means of finding a half- remembered phrase or reference. Secondly, examples of what has been said by the famous, the not so famous and the infamous on a particular subject and thirdly, when using the dictionary alphabetically by author, a representation of statements made by the author or speaker which have become memorable or remarkable. 13,000 familiar, serious, outrageous, witty and thought- provoking quotations. 688pp in paperback. ONLY £4


73764 ALL FOR LOVE: A


Romantic Anthology by Laura Stoddart


Well known for her greetings cards and stationery and Christmas Royal Mail stamp commission, the charming colour artworks of Laura Stoddart are tiny, exquisite pictures, witty and original which complement the words of great


writers throughout the ages. The raptures of love are counterbalanced by the rueful and the comic - Wodehouse chumps chase unsuitable girls, Dorothy Parker makes acidic comments about men, and scores of writers from Ancient Greece to the present day supply nuggets of wisdom and humour. 84pp, softback. £7.99 NOW £4


55377 FRENCH DICTIONARY


A general-purpose dictionary, suitable for a great variety of both English and French speakers at all levels of proficiency, providing over 85,000 entries. As well as everyday vocabulary and colloquialisms, the dictionary includes a selection of scientific and technological terms. Also included are the different spellings and usage of American English words. All headwords, both English and French, have phonetic transcriptions based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to assist with pronounciation. 1056pp. Paperback. ONLY £4


70646 WICKED WIT OF WINSTON CHURCHILL


by Dominique Enright Churchill’s most famous speeches and sayings have passed into history and everyday language, but many of his aphorisms, puns, bons mots and jokes are not public property. Anyone who describes General de Gaulle as looking ‘like a female llama who has just been surprised in her bath’ is all right by us, and his definition of golf takes


the biscuit: ‘... a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill designed for the purpose’. Hundreds of his most humorous and wickedest quips. 160 pages, illus. £9.99 NOW £4


71781 TALK TO THE HAND by Lynne Truss Lynne Truss uncovers the utter bloody rudeness of everyday life and gives six good reasons to stay home and bolt the door. Why are people so crass, selfish and inconsiderate? Why do we have to put up with so much swearing and whatever happened to public-spiritedness? ‘French shopkeepers really say good morning and goodbye; they answer questions; they wrap things ever so nicely; and when it’s all over, they wave you off like a near relation.’ Perceptive and funny. 214pp in paperback.


£8.99 NOW £3.50


72812 CROSSWORDS: MENSA by Philip Carter and Ken Russell


Solutions are given at the back for those who are driving themselves crazy! The puzzles in this MENSA, the High IQ Society, collection will stretch your verbal comprehension skills and your general knowledge to the limit. Disturbed teas offer comfort (4). It is hard for the unconverted to grasp why such cryptic messages exercise a hold over so many people. Get hooked with us. 224 page paperback with one puzzle per page. Please note contents same as 72813. £5.99 NOW £2


73208 WORDS OF WISDOM: Philosophy’s Most Important Quotations and Their Meanings by Gareth Southwell


You will find in this compelling compilation not just the stories behind the likes of Plato, Aristotle, Descartes and Wittgenstein, but also scientists, theologians, psychologists, anthropologists and writers of all sorts. Find out who said what, and in which circumstances, so that you can then ponder on it and wonder whether it was a fair statement. 368 pages, photos. £9.99 NOW £3


72294 IN THE LAND OF INVENTED LANGUAGES by Arika Okrent


Here are examples of the 900 new languages created over the past 900 years. The earliest documented invented language is the Lingua Ignota of Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th century German nun who was also a major composer of the era. In the 17th century a clergyman called John Wilkins invented a language for the specific purpose of eliminating ambiguity. Esperanto was invented in the 19th century and soon divided its adherents. In any case it was supplanted when English itself became the language of international communication in the 20th century. 500 examples of invented languages. 342pp, line drawings. $26 NOW £6


72516 BITEBACK DICTIONARY OF HUMOROUS POLITICAL QUOTATIONS by Fred Metcalf


Bankers to bin Laden, bumper stickers to Biden, Churchill’s gravitas and a liberal dose of sex, drugs and Frank Zappa, Metcalf has produced a hearty panoply of memorable political rhetoric to cover any occasion. Churchill said ‘We are all worms, but I do believe that I am a glow-worm.’ ‘The House of Lords is a model of how to care for the elderly’ - Frank Field, Labour MP 1981. ‘The House of Lords is like a glass of champagne that has stood for five days.’ - Clement Attlee. From agriculture, aid, America and Americanisms, the army, communism, Marxism, revolution, sport to Woodrow Wilson. 342pp in paperback. £9.99 NOW £3.25


72930 WHO SAID THAT FIRST? The Curious


Origins of Common Words and Phrases by Mark Cryer


This witty compendium reveals the obscure origins of over 350 common phrases. While there is no evidence that Queen Victoria ever said ‘We are not amused’ or that Marie Antoinette proclaimed ‘Let them eat cake’ or that it was Winston Churchill who first talked about an ‘iron curtain’, we can disclose that the nayle was originally smytyn on ye hed by Margery Kempe who, in 1438 wrote what is considered to be the oldest surviving autobiography in English. You will laugh yourself into stitches and garner lots of quiz-winning material from this enjoyable book. 240 pages. £9.99 NOW £4


72965 BIG ELEPHANTS ARE USEFUL: A Compendium of Mnemonics and Idioms by S. J. Hartland


A mnemonic is a memory aid for difficult spellings, mathematical rules, geographical and historical facts. An idiom is a phrase of expression whose meaning is not logically suggested by the words. Covers the solar system, weather, history, the natural and classical


worlds, mathematics and measurement, signs of the zodiac, geography and much more. Would you be upset if someone said you were ‘a sandwich short of a picnic’? If you want a little traditional wisdom or some cracking new insults, here is a treasure trove of the curious and witty. 144pp. £9.99 NOW £3


73201 IMMORTAL LAST WORDS: History’s Most Memorable Dying Remarks, Deathbed


Declarations and Final Farewells by Terry Breverton


The dying words of great statesmen, poets, scientists, novelists and warriors are often cited to capture the spirit of the times or inspire great works and deeds. The 370 entries in this book represent a wide variety of people. Arranged in chronological order, each dying remark is accompanied by succinct contextual info about the person concerned, and a brief explanation of the circumstances that gave rise to the quotation. Our favourites are: ‘Dear me, I believe I am becoming a god’. ‘They couldn’t hit an elephant at that distance’, and ‘I told you I was ill’. 383 pages, photos. £9.99 NOW £3.50


GARDENING


What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.


- Ralph Waldo Emerson


74249 HOW TO GROW FRESH AIR: 50 House Plants That Purify Your Home or


Office by Dr. B. C. Wolverton The Gerbera Daisy with its handsome sparkling flowers in yellow, red or orange, Florist’s Mum, a bright chrysanthemum offering a display of colours, the Peace Lily, Boston Fern, good old


rubber plant, cyclamen, Dwarf Azalea, Spider Plant, Christmas and Easter cactus, the Weeping Fig family and even the Dwarf Banana provide high transpiration rates that are desirable in the dry atmosphere of centrally heated homes and offices. The best filters of common pollutants such as ammonia, formaldehyde and benzene, chemicals released by furniture, carpets, building materials and photocopiers and then trapped by closed ventilation, can lead to a host of respiratory and allergic problems now called Sick Building Syndrome. Here Dr Wolverton shows how to grow 50 trouble-free plants from the tulip to the Boston Fern and rates each plant’s effectiveness for removal of chemical vapours, ease of growth, resistance to insect infestation and transpiration rate. A big colourful softback with photos and glossary. 144pp. £12.99 NOW £6


Words 33


74001 A VICTORIAN FLOWER DICTIONARY by Mandy Kirkby


Subtitled ‘The Language of Flowers Companion’, we know that a thousand thoughts are invested in a flower. Daffodils signal new beginnings, daisies innocence, lilacs mean first emotions of love, periwinkles tender recollections. This beautifully illustrated dual


dictionary of flora and meanings, and suggestions for creating expressive arrangements, make this a perfect keepsake compendium for anyone who has ever given or received a bouquet. Early Victorians used flowers to express their feelings - love or grief, jealousy or devotion, and now modern day romantics are enjoying a resurgence of this bygone custom. Dozens of stunningly beautiful full page colour artworks. Useful glossary at the end with sections like A New Job, Funerals, To Say Thank You, Illness and more. 188pp. $22 NOW £6


71737 A HISTORY OF KITCHEN GARDENING by Susan Campbell


In over 20 years’ research and visiting Susan Campbell has plotted the development of the big house and its kitchen garden from the early 17th century to the present day, and her wonderfully evocative book takes the form of a guided tour around the garden, explaining all about how these marvels were made to work, and the people who worked them. With a good location and a skilled head gardener, centuries ago the gentry could enjoys new potatoes and salads for Christmas, strawberries and kidney beans in April, nectarines and figs all summer long, asparagus and rhubarb in November and root vegetables all year round, all well as everything else in season. Pencil illus. 304pp softback pages.


£14.99 NOW £3.50


72890 SELF SUSTAINING GARDEN: The Guide to Matrix


Planting by Peter Thompson By combining plants into self- governing communities - “matrix” gardening - we can create delightful gardens that require much less maintenance and, as an added benefit, less chemical control. Chapters which deal with different aspects of garden design, written in


collaboration with Thompson’s wife Josie Owen, a much-respected landscape gardener, look at pools and wet areas, grasses, mixed borders and utilising shade and shelter, and each of these chapters includes a great many actual case studies from her many years’ experience, demonstrating how the matrix approach can be used to solve all kinds of gardening headaches. Most of the case studies are from England and Wales, including one which made us laugh, the retired (and, not surprisingly, divorced) barristers’ clerk who wanted his suburban garden set up to encourage wife-swapping at his broad-minded barbeque parties! Colour photos and Josie’s drawings. 192pp, 8"×10". £16.99 NOW £4


71927 THOUGHTFUL GARDENING: Great Plants, Great Gardens, Great Gardeners by Robin Lane Fox


Taking readers on a varied and highly enjoyable journey through each season of the year, it draws on his lifetime of practical gardening and reflects his many years as garden Master of New College Oxford, as well as his experience of his own Cotswold garden. Ranging from problems with badgers to how to take root-cuttings or choose flowering trees, it includes examples of gardens at home and abroad. Combining a principled view of the craft of gardening with dozens of new ideas for planting, and visiting other gardens, it also provides touching reminders of the power of literature and art to deepen what we see. 356 pages colour illus. £25 NOW £4.50


73526 GARDEN FARMING by Hugh Lanham


From his boyhood, the author has been involved in vegetable growing, and for many years has also kept small livestock. With his wife, who is interested in bigger animals, he has enjoyed producing large amounts of good, natural flavoursome food from small areas of land. Who better, then, to write this indispensable volume for


anyone interested in doing the same. The book is firmly based on the author’s sound knowledge gained over many years of experimentation with different kinds of livestock and crops. Not only does he explain how it is possible to supplement your diet and your quality of life within the time constraints of juggling a working life in a different sphere with producing crops and tending animals, but he also examines vegetable growing systems and techniques, covers roots, legumes, brassicas and perennials, and considers what is involved in keeping livestock like rabbits, poultry, pigs, goats and other larger animals on a small scale. 160 paperback pages with over 70 colour photographs, glossary and appendix: List of Varieties. £10.99 NOW £4


72184 A GLOSSARY OF GARDEN HISTORY by Michael Synes


What are the differences between a belvedere, a gazebo, a pavilion and a summer house? What are gazon coupé, a milliarium and a crinkle-crankle wall? The book presents a range of unusual terms and is an alphabetical glossary of over 500 explanations. A final chapter outlines the work of leading British garden designers from John Evelyn to Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe. Beautiful colour photos throughout like the Turkish Tent in Buckinghamshire. 152 glossy pages in paperback. £9.99 NOW £2.50


NEW YEAR AND A NEW LOOK FOR YOUR GARDEN


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36