City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon

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.Foyle's Philavery: A Treasury of Unusual Words
City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon
by: Christopher Foyle

July 27, 2007
When I saw this advertised, I felt slightly ashamed that I had no idea what a `philavery' was.... It turns out I needn't have worried: the word was invented specifically to describe this book: "Philavery /fil-a-vuh-ri/ n. an idiosyncratic collection of uncommon and pleasing words."

The book is the result of years of word collecting by the author, Christopher Foyle, chairman of the famous Foyles bookshop in London. The `uncommoness' of the words included in the volume is defined by Foyle; as such many words in the philavery are familiar to me. Indeed, he states in the introduction that the US commander of the first Gulf War described information with little value as "bovine scatology". The author admits he had to refer to a dictionary ... Read More:
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.Oxford A-Z of Spelling
City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon
by: Catherine Soanes, Sheila Ferguson

August 23, 2007
When I saw this advertised, I felt slightly ashamed that I had no idea what a `philavery' was.... It turns out I needn't have worried: the word was invented specifically to describe this book: "Philavery /fil-a-vuh-ri/ n. an idiosyncratic collection of uncommon and pleasing words."

The book is the result of years of word collecting by the author, Christopher Foyle, chairman of the famous Foyles bookshop in London. The `uncommoness' of the words included in the volume is defined by Foyle; as such many words in the philavery are familiar to me. Indeed, he states in the introduction that the US commander of the first Gulf War described information with little value as "bovine scatology". The author admits he had to refer to a dictionary ... Read More:
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Used Price: £2.06

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.She Literally Exploded: The "Daily Telegraph" Infuriating Phrasebook
City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon
by: Christopher Howse, Richard Preston

May 24, 2007
I disagree with most of the adverse comments,as I found the book very funny. But it could have done with being about double the length.
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Used Price: £0.46

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.Words Words Words
City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon
by: David Crystal

April 26, 2007
Really interesting with exactly the right amount of detail in all the right places. Words Words Words covers a really broad selection topics within the subject of English Language. It's got loads of interesting, quirky facts and discussion points about English whilst being a good read. David Crystal's passion for the subject shines thorough but it is clearly written, for anyone who speaks English so it's not just for people with a vested interest in this topic. If you speak English, you'll find this really interesting.
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Used Price: £3.56

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.Words that Sell, Revised and Expanded Edition: More Than 6,000 Entries to Help You Promote Your Products, Services, and Ideas
City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon
by: Richard Bayan

May 01, 2006
This book lives on my desk, not in the bookshelf. If I'm feeling uninspired, or just can't think of the right word to use, this book jump-starts my creative thinking. It's simply brilliant.
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Used Price: £5.34

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.March Hares and Monkeys' Uncles
City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon
by: Harry Oliver

September 01, 2005
If you really are interested in the origin of phrases, you would do better to have a look at one of the many websites on this subject.

If you are unable to work out for yourself that the phrase "Mission Impossible" comes from the TV series of the same name, then this is the book for you.

Other phrases are not particularly well-researched and the author seems to have plumped for the obvious meanings rather than looked at the origins in any depth.

I have given the book one star for it's presentation - nice cover, but don't judge the book by it. (Can anyone tell me the origin of that phrase - it's so obvious I'm suprised it's not in Mr. Oliver's book).
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.A Dictionary of Euphemisms: How Not to Say What You Mean (Oxford Paperback Reference)
City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon
by: R. W. Holder

October 09, 2003
If you really are interested in the origin of phrases, you would do better to have a look at one of the many websites on this subject.

If you are unable to work out for yourself that the phrase "Mission Impossible" comes from the TV series of the same name, then this is the book for you.

Other phrases are not particularly well-researched and the author seems to have plumped for the obvious meanings rather than looked at the origins in any depth.

I have given the book one star for it's presentation - nice cover, but don't judge the book by it. (Can anyone tell me the origin of that phrase - it's so obvious I'm suprised it's not in Mr. Oliver's book).
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Used Price: £3.50

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.1000 Most Important Words
City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon
by: Norman W. Schur

November 30, 1988
I've had this book (an his other book 1000 important common words) for over 10 years and I still consider them the "Bibles" of vocabulary building books! I can't praise them enough! A MUST buy for anyone serious (and those not so serious!) about building their vocabulary.
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.A Glossary of Literary Terms (Ise)
City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon
by: M.H. Abrams, Geoffrey Galt Harpham

January 02, 2005
This person below is doing a BA in English but cannot spell 'earned'. What is the world coming to! Very good anyway! The book that is.
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.The Dord, the Diglot, and an Avocado or Two: The Hidden Lives and Strange Origins of Common and Not-So-Common Words
City Travel Guides > Books > Slang and Jargon
by: Anu Garg

October 30, 2007
Most people rarely learn a new word after they pass their last vocabulary test in school. That's a shame. Words and their origins can be the source of a lot of fun. Anu Garg makes that point obvious in The Dord, the Diglot, and an Avocado or Two by providing clever word puzzles and word histories filled with fascinating details, humor, and irony. If you can't get enough after you read the book, subscribe to Garg's online weekly newsletter.

Let me give you two samples of the book:

1. "Orthographically speaking, what do the two countries Afghanistan and Tuvalu have in common?" (Hint: Look closely.)

2. "Dord: The word density had a short-lived synonym: dord . . . While the second edition of Webster's New International Dictionary was ... Read More:
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Used Price: £1.50