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Review
'I'm hooked on Forsyth's book ... Crikey, but this is addictive' - Mathew Parris, The Times, October 13
'One of the books of the year. It is too enjoyable for words.' - Henry Coningsby, Bookseller
'The Etymologicon, contains fascinating facts' - Daily Mail, October 24
'Kudos should go to Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon ... Clearly a man who knows his onions, Mr Forsyth must have worked 19 to the dozen, spotting red herrings and unravelling inkhorn terms, to bestow this boon - a work of the first water, to coin a phrase.' - Daily Telegraph
'The stocking filler of the season... How else to describe a book that explains the connection between Dom Pérignon and Mein Kampf, ' - Robert McCrum, The Observer
'A perfect bit of stocking filler for the bookish member of the family, or just a cracking all-year-round-read. Highly recommended.'
- Matthew Richardson, The Spectator, 15 Nov
'One of the books of the year. It is too enjoyable for words.' - Henry Coningsby, Bookseller
'The Etymologicon, contains fascinating facts' - Daily Mail, October 24
'Kudos should go to Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon ... Clearly a man who knows his onions, Mr Forsyth must have worked 19 to the dozen, spotting red herrings and unravelling inkhorn terms, to bestow this boon - a work of the first water, to coin a phrase.' - Daily Telegraph
'The stocking filler of the season... How else to describe a book that explains the connection between Dom Pérignon and Mein Kampf, ' - Robert McCrum, The Observer
'A perfect bit of stocking filler for the bookish member of the family, or just a cracking all-year-round-read. Highly recommended.'
- Matthew Richardson, The Spectator, 15 Nov
Review
The surprise Christmas bestseller, now a BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK, read by Hugh Dennis. 'This year's must-have stocking filler - the angel on the top of the tree, the satsuma in the sock, the threepenny bit in the plum pudding, the essential addition to the library in the smallest room is Mark Forsyth's The Etymologicon.' Ian Sansom, Guardian 'I'm hooked on Forsyth's book - Crikey, but this is addictive' Mathew Parris, The Times 'The Etymologicon contains fascinating facts' Daily Mail 'Kudos should go to Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon - Clearly a man who knows his onions, Mr Forsyth must have worked 19 to the dozen, spotting red herrings and unravelling inkhorn terms, to bestow this boon - a work of the first water, to coin a phrase. Daily Telegraph, October 23 'From Nazis and film buffs to heckling and humble pie, the obscure origins of commonly-used words and phrases are explained.' Daily Telegraph 'One of the books of the year. It is too enjoyable for words,' Henry Coningsby, Bookseller, Waterstones Watford
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
137 of 138 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Mark Forsyth's meanderings through the English language are carried off with a panache that frankly leaves other etymological 'dictionaries' looking dry, dusty and rightly shelf-bound. Indeed, the fact that the book starts with the phrase "a turn up for the books" indicates exactly that; this is not a reference book, but a new, unique and often hilarious way of drawing out the richness of English in the form of a comic journey through the verbal linkages, rhyming paths and allegorical alleyways which crowd the author's inventive mind. Equally, though you can dip in and out so it's ideal commuting reading. I was most amused to learn about the link between underwear and Christianity on my way home today. I shall be on Amazon stocking up on more copies to stock stockings before Christmas... Any link there?
86 of 87 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This witty and erudite book was filed in the reference section of my local bookshop. But despite the slightly forbidding title, and the fact that it is full of enlightening facts and connections, it shouldn't be be bought for reference so much as enjoyment("edutainment", perhaps, although the eloquent Mr Forsyth would probably disapprove of such a clumsy coinage). Perhaps the best way to describe it is to say that it wears its learning very lightly.
The writer takes you on a whirlwind journey through a series of words and historical facts, ingeniously linking each one to the next. There's a fair amount of schoolboy humour, so perhaps not one to buy for someone who doesn't appreciate references to codpieces, but this all adds to the fun (who would have guessed that feisty came from a word meaning "fart"?)
It was very difficult to read this without smiling, both at the jokes and with the joy of discovering new and useless scraps of information.
The writer takes you on a whirlwind journey through a series of words and historical facts, ingeniously linking each one to the next. There's a fair amount of schoolboy humour, so perhaps not one to buy for someone who doesn't appreciate references to codpieces, but this all adds to the fun (who would have guessed that feisty came from a word meaning "fart"?)
It was very difficult to read this without smiling, both at the jokes and with the joy of discovering new and useless scraps of information.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
what a wonderful compendium of interesting links between the words in our language. this is the perfect companion to an armchair and a log fire; and, after reading this book, you won't see English in the same way as you did before - you'll see English as a far friendlier entity, full of interconnections and pleasing self-references. buy 'the etymologicon' today, i urge you: if you want to enjoy all the more every single conversation you'll ever have in the future, that is.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A gift to give to all
I have handed this on to many friends and bought several copies of the book- everybody from my parents to friends of all ages will dire the detail and clear learned research- a... Read more
Published 11 hours ago by avid british reader
A pleasing confection
I got this on Kindle, but instead of sitting down to read it sequentially, I've found myself dipping into it on my phone in unlikely places, or reading it while commuting. Read more
Published 1 day ago by A. Hunt
The Etymologicon by Mark Forsyth (read by Simon Shepherd)
This set of six CDs, which together lasts more than seven hours, is an amazing compilation of word derivations and connections in the English language. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Mrs. A. J. Shingler
Very enjoyable
The way the book is written - as a series of sections digressively connected and coming back at the end to where they started - is ideal for the audiobook format and for car... Read more
Published 2 days ago by Graham R. Hill
A hurried reading of assorted trivia
Simon Shepherd blazes through all the word associations at such a pace, that I found it impossible to appreciate most of them. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Prof TBun
Fantastically interesting Audio Book
This is a review of the audiobook verson read by Simon Shepherd (the well spoken actor I remember from playing Piers in Chancer back in the early 90's)
As good as a book... Read more
As good as a book... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Mr. R. D. Turner
Chock Full of Meaning
Language is a rich and varied beast, a fact which Mark Forsyth's exceedingly entertaining Etymoligicon underlines over the course of six verbally packed discs. Read more
Published 5 days ago by L. A. Hardy
Fascinating facts but lacklustre presentation (audiobook)
This is an unabridged reading of the book of the blog ("The Inky Fool") giving fascinating insights into the etymology of our language through the linked origins of apparently... Read more
Published 6 days ago by Marand
The affluence of Inky Fool....... or, not a f@rt.
Let me tell you that I liked this book so much I bought the paper version.
Although Simon Shepherd reads this unexpurgated gem extremely well (this sort of thing seems... Read more
Although Simon Shepherd reads this unexpurgated gem extremely well (this sort of thing seems... Read more
Published 6 days ago by R. A. Caton
Forsyth: Fantastic Fascinating Fun - Etymologicon Audiobook
Mark Forsyth's Etymologican, as read by Simon Shepherd, is very enjoyable. I've not read Forsyth's book or blog, but I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to the discursive ramble... Read more
Published 7 days ago by Sebastian Palmer
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