'This is, in fact, not what you were looking for; but it's much more interesting' Terry Pratchett Much loved for its wit and wisdom since 1870, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable takes you on a captivating adventure through its trademark blend of language, culture, myth and legend. Nowhere else could the histories of the guillotine and Guinness stout sit so comfortably alongside the KGB and the Keystone Kops. Brewer's is a catalogue of curiosities and absurdities that, over almost 150 years in print, has acquired near-mythical status. Edited by Susie Dent, this new edition includes a brand new Collection of Curious Words and many new and updated entries. Its pages brim with esoteric and entertaining oddities - everything from curious customs to the world of newspapers and political alliances of yesteryear - all seen through the distinctive Brewer lens. This twentieth edition of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable encapsulates all the charm and wit that characterise its predecessors and maintains the standards of scholarship and eclecticism that have long been its hallmark. Whether you're a committed Brewerphile or a newcomer to its pages of fascinating entries, this edition will draw you in and keep you glued to its rich mix of eccentric nuggets. As Susie Dent explains in the foreword, Brewer's "is unlike any other reference book that exists, anywhere."

Much loved for its wit and wisdom since 1870, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable takes you on a captivating adventure through its trademark blend of language, culture, myth, and legend.

This work explains the origins of the familiar and the unfamiliar in everyday speech and literature, including the colloquial and the proverbial. It embraces archaeology, history, religion, the arts, science, mythology and characters from fiction.

'This is, in fact, not what you were looking for; but it's much more interesting.' Terry Pratchett Much loved for its wit and wisdom since 1870, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable takes you on a captivating adventure through its trademark blend of language, culture, myth and legend. Nowhere else could the histories of the guillotine and Guinness stout sit so comfortably alongside the KGB and the Keystone Kops. Brewer's is a catalogue of curiosities and absurdities that, over almost 150 years in print, has acquired near-mythical status. Edited by Susie Dent, this new edition includes a brand new Collection of Curious Words and many new and updated entries. Its pages brim with esoteric and entertaining oddities - everything from curious customs to the world of newspapers and political alliances of yesteryear - all seen through the distinctive Brewer lens. This twentieth edition of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable encapsulates all the charm and wit that characterise its predecessors and maintains the standards of scholarship and eclecticism that have long been its hallmark. Whether you're a committed Brewerphile or a newcomer to its pages of fascinating entries, this edition will draw you in and keep you glued to its rich mix of eccentric nuggets. As Susie Dent explains in the foreword, Brewer's "is unlike any other reference book that exists, anywhere."

Explore a compilation of reference service works by Charles A. Bunge, a leader in the field! This informative and delightful book highlights the contributions of Charles A. Bunge to the literature on reference service. From Past-Present to Future-Perfect: A Tribute to Charles A. Bunge and the Challenges of Contemporary Reference Service offers reference librarian professionals the reprints of selected articles by Charles Bunge, bibliographies of his published work, and original articles that draw on Bunge’s values and ideas in assessing the present and shaping the future of reference service. Through this guide, you will explore four categories of Bunge’s work, which include measuring the effectiveness of reference service, the reference environment, reference sources, and reflecting on the past and future of reference work. This important book will assist you in creating and maintaining an effective and ethical reference service that will help patrons find the materials they need. With From Past-Present to Future-Perfect, you will gain access to some of Bunge’s most important articles on the reference environment. Some of the helpful reference service information you will examine includes: ways of putting joy back into reference work to counteract the situation of low morale among practicing reference librarians discussions on the challenge of continual learning for reference librarians and strategies for updating knowledge and skills understanding and organizational strategies for handling stress in the library workplace exploring the realm of an ethical reference practice and how a reference librarian should act or behave in providing reference services peer coaching programs for reference librarians to assist the learning and sharing of knowledge among colleagues organizing electronic reference sources assisting patrons with their reference questions using technology in the reference environment Thorough and comprehensive, this excellent resource explores the changes that have occurred in reference and information resources, and techniques for setting goals and objectives for your reference department. From Past-Present to Future-Perfect looks at the exciting and challenging world of reference librarianship and gives you valuable insights and ideas on how to improve and update your reference department.

Completely updated for the twenty-first century, this reference presents definitions and origins of thousands of words, idioms, catchphrases, slogans, nicknames, and events from TV, literature, music, comic strips, and computer games.