The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language by Mark Forsyth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Consider this one if you’ve thought about reading an etymology book for fun but never got around to it. I admit I’m weird and keep a copy of a ragged, old, red American Heritage Dictionary near my desk just for its Proto-Indo-European glossary. However, this one made my list of bedtime stories. Forsyth builds humor into his book, explores common words with fascinating histories, and explores words lost to time. –And somehow, he manages to bring the collection full circle, ending where he started.
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