Salt of the Earth

Origins and meanings of country sayings.

Mothballs and Elbow Grease

Origins and meanings of household sayings

Did I Really Say That?

A calamitous collection of gaffes

Wonderful Words - A Celebration

A idiosyncratic selection of rare and wonderful words which have fallen from usage.

Language of Flowers

A new edition to confirm the meaning of 100s of flowers

Tips from the Old Housewives

Victorian Household Hints

Useful hints and tips to keep a well-managed household from our grandmothers and great-grandmothers.

Mind Your P's and Q's

A guide to proper behaviour - and how to avoid bad habits

The Baby Names Book

Over 3000 names.

A Pig in A Poke

Curious, bizarre and incomprehensible expressions explained.

A Fish Out of Water

The Origins and Meanings of the Food we Speak

After Dinner Speeches

A collection of anecdotes and stories providing a handy resource for public speaking.

Boys Will be Boys

Exploration of the background and history of masculine sayings.

Coming Up Roses & Right as Rain

The origins of down-to-earth sayings

Counting Your Chickens & Raining Cats and Dogs

A menagerie of animal sayings and their meanings

Girls will be Girls

Exploration of the background and history of feminine sayings.

Maypoles and Morris Dancing

Following the calendar throughout the whole year to uncover the folklore on which today's customs and traditions are built.

Rank and File

Military and naval expressions and their origins.

Tips from the Old Country Folk

Written in an amusing style to compare and contrast the efficacy of traditional methods with those of today.

Unsung Heroes

The stories of dozens of those on the sidelines of history.

What the Dickens?

An entertaining collection of words and expressions that owe their existence to people's names.

You Can Run but You Can't Hide

Sporting Sayings and Their Meanings

As Happy as a Clam

A fascinating and informative account of the origins and meanings of hundreds of familiar sayings.

Tips From the Old Sea Dogs

An intriguing and practical collection of tips drawn from the everyday lives of mariners down the ages.

For Valour - Stories Behind the Medals

Inspiring and uplifting ccounts of ordinary people displaying extraordinary courage at times of extreme danger.

For King and Country

An intriguing miscellany of military trivia

Stately Gossip

Hearsay and tittle tattle about the great and not so good.

Up and Down the Stairs

Exploration of the duties and drudgery that shaped the lives of domestic servants working in Britain in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Exploration of the way lore and language of seafarers has become embedded in our vocabulary.

The Amazing Pop-Up Stonehenge

An excellent starting point for children (and adults) interested in this mysterious monument.

Taking the Piss

A light-hearted though factual romp through the long history of the uses and abuses of urine.

We Are Very Amused

Collection of anecdotes and quotations to celebrate the quirky and unexpected aspects of Queen Victoria's amazing life.

Hazardous History

This absorbing and gruesomely detailed book reveals the ways in which history was hazardous indeed.

Tips From Nanny

From teething, weaning, sleeping and nappies this book of nanny's tips is the ultimate guide for every parent.

An A-Z of Baby Names

Includes over 3000 baby names.