Why Do We Say It: The Stories Behind the Words, Expressions and Cliches We Use

Rating:
Summary: What I didn't learn in college
Review: This is a great book for trivia or for finding the meanings and origins of every day words. I went through 4 years of undergrad and 2 years of grad school, and never learned the meaning of a bachelor's degree, why they call the school you attended your "alma matter," why do we "open the budget," or where the term pork barrel politics comes from, but the answer to those questions and hundreds of others is in this book.
Want to know where the dandelion got its name from, you can find it in the book. If you have a friend whose first language is not English, this book serves as an excellent reference for understanding some of English' most common phrase.
I believe this book is out of print now, but grab one of the few that are remaining, if not for yourself, but for the wordsmith or trivia buff in your life.