The Real McCoy and 149 other Eponyms

Description

Encompassing eponyms from medicine, botany, invention, science, fashion, food and literature, this book uncovers the intriguing tales of discovery, mythology, innovation and infamy behind the eponyms we use every day. The perfect addition to any wordsmith's bookshelf. The English language is rich with eponyms - words that are named after an individual - some better known than others. This book features 150 of the most interesting and enlightening specimens, delving into the origins of the words and describing the fascinating people after whom they were named. Eponyms are derived from numerous sources. Some are named in honour of a style icon, inventor or explorer, such as pompadour, Kalashnikov and Cadillac. Others have their roots in Greek or Roman mythology, such as panic and tantalise. A number of eponyms, however, are far from celebratory and were created to indicate a rather less positive association - into this category can be filed boycott, Molotov cocktail and sadist. Encompassing eponyms from medicine, botany, invention, science, fashion, food and literature, this book uncovers the intriguing tales of discovery, mythology, innovation and infamy behind the eponyms we use every day. The perfect addition to any wordsmith's bookshelf.

Claire Cock-Starkey is the author of The Book Lovers' Miscellany (2017) and A Library Miscellany (2018).

'An eponym, as you know, is a word named after an individual, and the above paragraph contains fourteen of them, all derived from The Real McCoy and 149 Other Eponyms by the excellent Claire Cock-Starkey, author of A Library Miscellany and The Book Lovers' Miscellany.' * TLS * 'From boycotts to Biros, the English language is rich in eponyms - a place or thing named after individuals. But who were the people behind them? In a fascinating new book, Claire Cock-Starkey reveals all ...' * Daily Mail * Recommended in 'The Guardian' Christmas Best Buys under GBP10 'Pleasing little compendium. From "melba toast" named after the world famous opera singer Dame Nellie Melba for whom the cracker was first developed at the savoy in London, to "Kalashnikov", called after the Soviet peasant who invented the AK47, there is plenty of fun but useless knowledge to discover here. Perfect for fans of QI.' * The Idler *