Author: Albert JackPublisher:
ISBN: 9781846148453
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
Black Sheep and Lame Ducks
Author: Albert JackPublisher: Perigee Trade
ISBN: 9780399535123
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 235
Book Description
The follow-up to Red Herrings and White Elephants explains the history of the curious and bizarre origins of hundreds of idioms and expressions, including “wearing your heart on your sleeve” and a “black sheep in the family.”
Shaggy Dogs and Black Sheep
Author: Albert JackPublisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781981439256
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 236
Book Description
Albert Jack's Shaggy Dogs and Black Sheep is a compulsively readable, highly enlightening look at the phrases we use all the time but rarely consider. The English language is crammed with colourful phrases and sayings that we use without thinking every day. It's only when we're asked who smart Alec or Holy Moly were, where feeling 'in the pink' or 'once in a blue moon' come from, or even what letting the cat out of the bag really means that we realize that there's far more to English than we might have thought. Luckily enough, we now have Albert Jack. And rather than resting on his laurels after the enormous success of Red Herrings and White Elephants, he has continued his search around the world, exploring the origins of hundreds more phrases. The fascinating stories he has uncovered come from the rich traditions of the navy, army and law to confidence tricksters and highwaymen, from the practices of ancient civilizations to Music Hall and pubs. Determined to chase each shaggy dog story to the bitter end, his discoveries are even stranger and more memorable this time round. From the skin of your teeth to the graveyard shift - you'll never speak (or even think) English in the same way again. Albert Jack has become something of a publishing phenomenon, clocking up hundreds of thousands of sales with his series of bestselling adventures tracing the fantastic stories behind everyday phrases (Red Herrings and White Elephants), the world's great mysteries (Loch Ness Monsters and Raining Frogs) nursery rhymes (Pop Goes the Weasel) pub names (The Old Dog and Duck and food history (What Caesar did for My Salad
The Old Dog and Duck
Author: Albert JackPublisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 014192991X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 304
Book Description
This is a book for everyone who has ever wondered why pubs should be called The Cross Keys, The Dew Drop Inn or The Hope and Anchor. You'll be glad to know that there are very good - strange and memorable - reasons behind them all. After much research about (and in) pubs, Albert Jack brings together the stories behind pub names to reveal how they offer fascinating and subversive insights on our history, customs, attitudes and jokes in just the same way that nursery rhymes do. The Royal Oak, for instance, commemorates the tree that hid Charles II from Cromwell's forces after his defeat at Worcester; The Bag of Nails is a corruption of the Bacchanals, the crazed followers of Bacchus, the god of wine and drunkenness; The Cat and the Fiddle a mangling of Catherine La Fidele and a guarded gesture of support for Henry VIII's first, Catholic, wife Catherine of Aragon; plus many, many more. Here too are even more facts about everything from ghosts to drinking songs to the rules of cribbage and shove hapenny, showing that, ultimately, the story of pub history is really the story of our own popular history
Pop Goes the Weasel
Author: Albert JackPublisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101162961
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 234
Book Description
From the international bestselling author of Red Herrings and White Elephants—a curious guide to the hidden histories of classic nursery rhymes. Who was Mary Quite Contrary, or Georgie Porgie? How could Hey Diddle Diddle offer an essential astronomy lesson? Do Jack and Jill actually represent the execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette? And if Ring Around the Rosie isn’t about the plague, then what is it really about? This book is a quirky, curious, and sometimes sordid look at the truth behind popular nursery rhymes that uncovers the strange tales that inspired them—from Viking raids to political insurrection to smuggling slaves to freedom. Read Albert Jack's posts on the Penguin Blog.
Red Herrings And White Elephants
Author: Albert JackPublisher: Metro Publishing
ISBN: 1782192743
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 119
Book Description
Have you ever wondered what phrases such as 'square meal', 'load of old codswallop', 'egg on your face' or 'in the limelight' mean? Where do they come from? Have you ever taken a moment to wonder what we say actually means? The origins of hundreds of common phrases are explained in this irreverent journey through the most fascinating and richest regions of the English language. In a book that takes you all over the world, from nautical origins to food and drink terms, once you have learnt one phrase, you will be eager to learn them all! From the drop of a hat to the bitter end - you'll be surprised and intrigued and you'll never speak English in the same way again.
Pop Goes the Weasel
Author: Albert JackPublisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 0141909307
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
Mr Jack has been nimble and he’s been quick, searching through the history of nursery rhymes and he’s found out all kind of plum tales, just like little Jack Horner. He's unearthed the answers to some very curious questions... Who were Mary Quite Contrary and Georgie Porgie? How could Hey Diddle Diddle offer an essential astronomy lesson? And if Ring a Ring a Roses isn’t about catching the plague, then, what is it really about? The ingenious book delves into the hidden meanings of the nursery rhymes and songs we all know so well and discovers all kinds of strange tales ranging from Viking raids to firewalking and from political rebellion to slaves being smuggled to freedom. Children have always played at being grown up and all kinds of episodes in our history are still being re-enacted today in a series of dark games (Oranges and Lemons traces a condemned man’s journey across London to his execution, Goosie Gander is about dragging a hidden Catholic priest to prison) And there are many many more... Full of vivid illustrations and with each verse reproduced, here are a multitude of surprising stories you won’t be able to resist passing on to everyone you know. Your childhood songs and rhymes will never sound the same again.
Why Siblings Matter
Author: Naomi WhitePublisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317247167
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 168
Book Description
Many people grow up with at least one sibling. These siblings are often ‘fellow travellers’ through adversity or significant life events; they can act as a source of support for some children while a source of conflict for others. For these reasons, siblings are a potentially powerful influence on development and this book is one of the first of its kind to provide an overview of cutting-edge psychological research on this important relationship. Why Siblings Matter is a cornerstone text on siblinghood. Integrating findings from a 10 year longitudinal study alongside wider research, it provides a lifespan perspective examining the impact of sibling relationships on children’s development and well-being. This text situates siblings in their historical, developmental and family context, considers the influence of siblings on children’s development and adjustment, and provides an introduction to new research on siblings in diverse contexts. The authors discuss sibling relationships in varied populations such as siblings with disabilities, siblings in different cultures and siblings in non-traditional families, while also considering the practical implications of research. Covering both classical studies and new results this book offers take-home messages for promoting positive sibling interactions. It will be invaluable reading for students and researchers in developmental psychology and family studies and professionals in education, health and social work.
Excuse My French: Fluent Français without the faux pas
Author: Rachel BestPublisher: Kyle Books
ISBN: 0857838415
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 204
Book Description
Life together in a bi-lingual relationship for Rachel and Jean-Christophe created many amusing miscomprehensions and often sheer bewilderment. How do you translate, 'Don't beat around the bush' and why does 'to be left high and dry' in English, become 'rester en carafe' in French? Excuse My French! is their solution to all this conversational confusion. The book comprises of 700 expressions in English and in French, divided into 12 chapters, which cover all the essential topics in life - including food and drink, money, business work and sex. It presents the essential idioms and metaphors of the 'other' language in a fresh, light-hearted way that won't make you feel like you're back in a classroom. Packed with quizzes, glossaries and interesting detail on the historical contexts for how phrases were coined, and illustrated throughout with line drawings, it will improve language skills and promote the Entente Cordiale between tourists, students and business associates, as well as encourage relationships to blossom between les Gaulois et les Rosbifs all over the world!
They Laughed at Galileo
Author: Albert JackPublisher: Constable
ISBN: 1472116712
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 238
Book Description
From the wireless to the computer, and from hula hoops to interplanetary travel, inventions and discoveries have changed our lifestyles in ways that would have astounded our ancestors. Each of them was originally developed by visionaries who dreamt of the seemingly impossible, but who were opposed by an array of experts publicly declaring that ‘It cannot be done.’ Well, yes it could . . . And here's the story of how those dreamers overcame the odds against them.
