Delightfully eclectic', 'browsable treat', 'serious study,''brilliant gift idea', things all said of Vivian Cook's last best-seller, applies equally to his hugely rich and educative new book on the pleasure of words. Cross words, crass words, kind words, bad words, first words, rude words, new words, weazel words, teen words, rap words, power words, color words, Indian words, Brit words, Blairwords, war words, ad words, p-c words, borrowed words, Shakespeare's amazing words, false words, fine words, wine words, American words, name words, last words, even lost for words - this book has them all. Vivian Cook takes us on a series of excursions down the curious byways of word history and meaning, mingling the fare with games, lists, tests, and quotes. Discover the theojollylogical joys of infixation. Find out if you're charva, what it means to be nithered, and how to hoy. Delve into the hidden nature of words. Consider how they're born, why they change, and how they die. Learn about the words that are never spoken and others that don't get written. Here's a book overflowing with words and about every kind and variety of word. It offers an irresistible cornucopia of information and entertainment.