The Merriam-Webster New Book of Word Histories

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Summary: Know the priceless history of those great 25 cent words
Review: 'SIDEBURNS - During the American Civil War, the Union general Ambrose Everett Burnside wore long bushy side-whiskers. His appearance first struck the fancy of Washingtonians as he conducted parades and maneuvers with his regiment of Rhode Island volunteers...the fashion for such whiskers later came to be called burnsides. A later anagram of his name gives us the word sideburns.'

This handy reference is for the wordsmith or curious fact-finder. Behind each word lie stories from the past and famous imaginations. How words were written, understood, passed on, misused - they all lead to explanations for our understanding of them today. Origins of words like bikini, hippopotamus, and atlas are contained here. One word leads to another to another...the history here is funny, intriguing, and phenomenal.

Rating:
Summary: Gets tedious quickly
Review: A little of this goes a long way. This is ok if you are reading it now and then. The articles are short enough to do that. It would be tedious to read this in any sustained way, however.

Rating:
Summary: Great browsing!
Review: Here is a wonderful collection of 1,500 word histories. This book goes beyond the typical etymology by providing the Story behind each of the selected words. Though the scholarship on the etymology of the word is not thorough (no roots, little in the way of derivation, no Indo-European development) the writing is clear, witty and conversational. The best book on the market for under $20 (and a real bargain at Amazon's price). Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Great browsing!
Review: The Merriam Webster New Book of Word Histories contains an excellent sytle of writing. It is the most detailed book of it's kind in paperback form. If you are looking to expound your vocabulary, this book covers it all from A-Z. Try it you'll love it.