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'The perfect present... Socks and handkerchiefs really won't do. Opt instead for Ringing Church Bells to ward off Thunderstorms. It's a compendium of curiosities from an obscure Victorian publication called Notes and Queries in which readers wrote in seeking solutions to questions that were niggling them and other readers responded with answers... Topics under discussion in this beautifully produced book, which includes more than 100 delightful 19th-century illustrations, include the weight of Byron's brain, frost fairs on the River Thames, animals being put on trial in the Middle Ages, and the swallowing of live frogs to cure stomach upsets. You will also learn about ornamental hermits, the outlawing of moustaches in Ireland, the Puritan abomination of custard, and countless other bizarre examples of human behaviour and custom. The book richly deserves to become the dark horse bestseller of the Christmas season. I've already ordered copies for my father and my brother-in-law.' --Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph
'Deliciously detailed' --The Times
'A wonderful gift book' --RHS Christmas Books Selection
'Frost fairs on the Thames, the reasons why the Puritans abhorred custard, and the fluctuating price of unicorn horns are just three of the pithy delights you'll find in this miscellany of curios culled from the original Notes and Queries. Beautifully produced with woodcuts, engravings, and line drawings, at a reasonable price, it richly deserves to give some of the Christmas productions from bigger publishers a run for their money.' --The Bookseller
'Deliciously detailed' --The Times
'A wonderful gift book' --RHS Christmas Books Selection
'Frost fairs on the Thames, the reasons why the Puritans abhorred custard, and the fluctuating price of unicorn horns are just three of the pithy delights you'll find in this miscellany of curios culled from the original Notes and Queries. Beautifully produced with woodcuts, engravings, and line drawings, at a reasonable price, it richly deserves to give some of the Christmas productions from bigger publishers a run for their money.' --The Bookseller
Product Description
How much did Byron's brain weigh? Why are people said to grin like Cheshire cats? Was the Duke of Clarence really drowned in a Malmsey butt?
First published in 1849, Notes and Queries quickly established itself as a unique treasure-trove of lore and out-of-the-way information on a wide and eccentric range of subjects. This newly created collection brings together the most intriguing items from its early years, ranging from ornamental hermits to regimental goats, from mummified monks to seventeenth-century mince pies, from how to handle Ivan the Terrible to remedies for the plague. The result is a plum pudding of a book, and an ideal gift for the curious.
First published in 1849, Notes and Queries quickly established itself as a unique treasure-trove of lore and out-of-the-way information on a wide and eccentric range of subjects. This newly created collection brings together the most intriguing items from its early years, ranging from ornamental hermits to regimental goats, from mummified monks to seventeenth-century mince pies, from how to handle Ivan the Terrible to remedies for the plague. The result is a plum pudding of a book, and an ideal gift for the curious.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Great fun to read and an ideal book to give. Most of the entries are short - from half a page up to about six pages maximum - so perfect for dipping into, and it is packed with charming illustrations and interesting stories. Where else would yoiu read about the MP who was paid with herrings, or the cure for gout in a Hawk's leg? I plan to buy several more copies as Christmas presents.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A lovely book to dip into. Would make an ideal Christmas present, although rather heavy to send through the post.
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