Mark Forsyth has vindicated word nerds the world over with these two books. Far from being dry reference books, Forsyth brings the dead back to life by digging up the circuitous history of the words we use every day. The Horologicon arranges the entries around the hours of the day. The chapters include Commute, The…
ACCENT: SIX WOMEN OF SALEM by Marilynne K Roach
I used to live in a colonial house in New England. Our home was built in 1786, by a Revolutionary War veteran. For a time we also lived in an old fishing village on the south shore of Boston. So, needless to say I grew up with a healthy respect (and fascination) for the colonial…
REVIEW: THE TOWER By Nigel Jones
Jones’ overview of the Tower of London’s thousand year history was no doubt a massive undertaking. Imagine it: ten centuries worth of sieges, celebrations, world-altering decisions, wrongful deaths and sovereign decrees all held within these walls, on just a few acres of land. Jones visits the (in)famous as well as the less well-known. Henry VIII’s…
REVIEW: CITY OF RAVENS BY Boria Sax
Last summer I went to the Tower of London. There I made a number of unexpected discoveries, although if I had ever stopped to think about it would have seemed rather obvious. For instance, there are several buildings that make up the “tower”, the oldest and most famous being the White Tower. It isn’t really…
GIVEAWAY: Midnight in Peking
Thanks to the folks at Penguin, I am giving away a hardcover copy of MIDNIGHT IN PEKING by Paul French. It’s the best historical true crime I’ve read since The Devil in the White City. (My full review is here) To enter, please: 1. Leave a comment, with link to a Facebook or Twitter post…