Lord Sandwich and the Pants Man: Discover the People and Places Hidden in Everyday Words

Description

Ever wondered who 'the Joneses' were? Or what the original 'peeping Tom' got up to? We all know that there was a ballerina named Pavlova and an earl named Sandwich, but there was also a Baron Lamington and a Queen Margarita, a Mr Booze and a Captain Fudge. Laszlo Biro invented the biro, Jules Leotard wore the first leotard, Charles Boycott endured the first boycott and Lord Cardigan loved a good cardigan. There really was a maverick named Maverick and a chauvinist named Chauvin. From literature we have The Illiad, which features a bully named 'Hector' and a wise teacher named 'Mentor'. From history we have Vandals, who were a destructive tribe, and the Zealots, who were an intolerant sect. Eager for more original and entertaining trivia to impress your friends? Eamon Evans' humorous collection of common eponyms shares the stories behind words and phrases popular throughout the world. Insightful, witty and ... mostly accurate.

Eamon Evans has spent all his working life writing. Based in Melbourne, Australia, he has been an in-house writer for Bigpond Sport. He has also been a regular journalist for the Sunday Herald Sun, the Adelaide Advertiser, the Sunday Times and the Courier Mail writing about AFL, cricket and tennis. He has written four books including The Godfather was a Girl. His most recent sporting book was David Boon's Funniest Sporting Moments.

"Evans has compiled a tome of weird and wonderful words with style. This book is charming despite itself, silly and scholarly all at once, a great resource for word nerds everywhere." "Citybookreview.com ""If you love words, and finding out some of the hows, whys and often whos behind expressions we hear and use every day, this book is a real doozy..." "americanprofile.com" "This book is charming despite itself, silly and scholarly all at once, a great resource for word nerds everywhere." Glenn Dallas, "San Francisco Book Review ""If you love words, and finding out some of the hows, whys and often whos behind expressions we hear and use every day, this book is a real doozy..." "americanprofile.com"