The Etymologicon A Circular Stroll Throu

** THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER **

'Witty and erudite ... stuffed with the kind of arcane information that nobody strictly needs to know, but which is a pleasure to learn nonetheless.' Nick Duerden, Independent.

The Etymologicon is an occasionally ribald, frequently witty and unerringly erudite guided tour of the secret labyrinth that lurks beneath the English language.

What is the actual connection between disgruntled and gruntled? What links church organs to organised crime, California to the Caliphate, or brackets to codpieces?

Mark Forsyth's riotous celebration of the idiosyncratic and sometimes absurd connections between words is a classic of its kind: a mine of fascinating information and a must-read for word-lovers everywhere.

Praise for The Etymologicon:

'[Forsyth] riff[s] very entertainingly on the hidden connections of words (from brackets and codpieces, to cappuccinos and monkeys).' Guardian

'Particularly good ... Forsyth takes words and draws us into their, and our, murky history.' William Leith, Evening Standard

'Highly recommended.' Spectator

'I'm hooked on Forsyth's book - Crikey, but this is addictive.' The Times

'Kudos should go to Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon - Clearly a man who knows his onions, Mr Forsyth must have worked 19 to the dozen, spotting red herrings and unravelling inkhorn terms, to bestow this boon - a work of the first water, to coin a phrase.' The Daily Telegraph

'Hugely entertaining.' Financial Times