Whether you are a died-in-the-wool word nut, or
just a reader intrigued by a colorful expression,
this is a work of endless fascination
Over 9,000 words and phrases are covered, from A to
Zzz, of slang, proverbs, animal and plant names,
nicknames of people, places, and things, historical
and political expressions, foreign-language terms,
literary allusions, and perhaps best of all, many
references to Classical figures and usages of our
common Western heritage.
Hendrickson regards this as a work-in-progress, and
indeed, there are omissions (smarmy, paddy wagon,
all hat and no cattle), and errors. (There certainly
was a marijuana variety called Acapulco Gold, "antsy"
was in use by the early 1960's, and this reviewer
can demonstrate conclusively that armadillos can
survive nicely north of Texas.) These are quibbles,
however, and do not detract seriously from the merit
and sheer usefulness of Hendrickson's work.
Recommended for the permanent bookshelf of lovers
of the language and students of the culture.
(The numerical rating above is a default setting
within Amazon's format. This reviewer does not
employ numerical ratings.)
