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Explore the literary world of this author
and why we have them
Some people casually say ‘touch wood’ when they speak of something they hope will happen. Others won’t allow peacock feathers into the house. An...
The facts behind the things we have been told
We can all remember the stories we were told as children: Santa Claus lives at the North Pole; St Bernard dogs carry brandy to help lost climbers; Lad...
The truth behind the expressions we use
Have you ever wondered where terms like 'end of your tether', 'gets my goat' or 'letting ones hair down' come from? Or why we call some people 'geezer...
The Curious Origins of Common Words and Phrases
Believe it or not, this is probably the first book to attempt to identify the original sources of some of the English language's most common expressio...
Truth and lies about cats
We cannot get enough of cats: from ancient times they have occupied a special place in many different cultures around the world. They have also genera...
Of Favourite New Zealand Words and Phrases
Visitors to New Zealand are frequently surprised — and puzzled — by local terms and expressions. This concise A–Z dictionary, now updated in a n...
The Stories Behind the World's Favourite Songs
Some of the world's best-loved songs have had remarkable origins. Had Robert Burns not heard an old man sing a quavering version of an ancient Scottis...
A Thousand Things You Didn't Know about Man's Best Friend
Why has Fido become a generic term for all dogs? Why did hundreds of people collect dog faeces – and sell it?Dogs never eat other dogs, so why is it...
And the Amazing Stories Behind Them
In day-to-day speech we use words and phrases without a passing thought as to why we use them or where they come from. Max Cryer changes all that by s...
The Truth Behind the Expressions We Use
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Why Fine Words Butter No Parsnips
From our earliest years we have heard proverbs, and many of them are repeated without much thought. Yes, ‘birds of a feather flock together’ and �...
The author shares the curious and sometimes surprising stories behind forty of the world's favourite songs. Some evolved from folksongs, others from m...
As Heard on National Radio
Max Cryer's 15-minute spot on John Campbell's National Radio programme every Sunday has proved a hit with listeners for three years now. This is a col...
This book contains questions and answers from the first three years of Max Cryer's 'Curious Questions' slot on National Radio. The questions focus on ...
More intriguing facts about the language, based on the author's spot on National Radio....
At the conclusion of his 'Curious Questions' slot on National Radio each Saturday morning, Max Cryer delivers a final bon mot or aphorism, usually pit...