Word Nerd by Michael Powell

$10.00 NZD

Category: Reference | Reading Level: near fine

The English language is full of beauty and surprises. If you're a lover of the weird and wonderful, from fascinating etymology to the ten most overused and useless English phrases, this book isn't averse to a peppering of persiflage! Did you know: - pilots and air traffic controllers at major air inte rnational airports have to speak English - the hashtag symbol is an "octothorpe" - "bumfiddle" means to spoil a piece of paper or document - the word "noon" originally meant 3pm; the literal meaning of "bamboozle" is to make a baboon out of someone. This book contains a boatload of things you didn't know about the English language and it's a guaranteed prolix-free zone. ...Show more

The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature by Humphrey Carpenter and Mari Prichard

$20.00 NZD

Category: Books About Books | Reading Level: very good

Who Wrote What When? Over a Thousand Writers from Douglas Adams to Emile Zola by The Diagram Group

$14.00 NZD

Category: Books About Books | Reading Level: very good

Featuring over a 1000 leading figures in the history of literature, from the ancient Greeks to literary classics and today's blockbusters, this biographical dictionary includes an introduction to their work, the key influences that shaped their writing and their major works listed in date order.

Symbols and Their Meanings by Jack Tresidder

$25.00 NZD

Category: Reference | Reading Level: very good

The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul by Irwin Stambler

$25.00 NZD

Category: Music | Reading Level: very good

This reference book covers four decades of pop and soul music from Buddy Holly to Herbie Hancock with hundreds of new entries such as Madonna, U2 and Prince. There are over 600 entries with each one providing information on the star's musical significance, often drawing on personal interviews.

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable by Adrian Room (ed.)

$25.00 NZD

Category: Reference | Reading Level: very good

A reference guide containing information about thousands of phrases and expressions not normally covered by conventional dictionaries. New etymological material about word and phrase histories is included, and there are entries on people and events from mythology, the bible, and literature.

Dictionary of Obsolete and Provincial English containing words from the English writers previous to the ninteenth century which are no longer in use, or are not used in the same sense and words which are now used only in the provincial dialects by Thomas Wright

$85.00 NZD

Category: Reference | Reading Level: good

The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary by William Little; J. Coulson; H. W. Fowler; G. W. S. Friedrichsen; C. T. Onions (Revised by)

$35.00 NZD

Category: Reference | Reading Level: very good

Penguin Encyclopedia by David Crystal

$40.00 NZD

Category: Reference | Reading Level: very good

Now in its third edition, Penguin Encyclopediais the one reference book that every family and office needs. It contains over 28,000 entries on the facts, events, issues, people, beliefs and achievements that make up the sum of human knowledge and experience written in a clear, direct style that illumina tes even the most intricate concept. The book is designed so that it is easy to locate the information you require quickly and there are over 350 maps and diagrams to aid understanding. Penguin Encyclopediais part of the Penguin Reference Libraryand draws on over 70 years of experience in bringing reliable, useful and clear information to millions of readers around the world - making knowledge everybody's property. ...Show more

Scottish Place-Names - Their Study and Significance by W. F. H. Nicolaisen

$16.00 NZD

Category: United Kingdom | Reading Level: very good

This book, the result of twenty years' meticulous research, remains the only comprehensive and systematic study of Scottish place-names. From names which date from the dawn of time - such as the river names Tay and Avon - to more modern place-names, such as Fort William and Helensburgh, W.F.H. Nicolaise n brings to life the rich tapestry of history which has shaped Scotland over thousands of years. When first published in 1976, Scottish place-names was welcomed by reviewers for its innovative thinking and for setting new standards in place-name studies in Scotland. Three further printings within a few years responded to an obvious demand for the kind of overview and methodological guide it provided. The revised edition, first published in 2001, responded to the huge surge of interest in, and study of, Scottish place-names and included an updated preface and additional bibliography. ...Show more

The Secret Life of Words: How English Became English by Henry Hitchings

$10.00 NZD

Category: Reference | Reading Level: very good

Communication is essential to our lives, but how often do we stop to think about where the words we use have come from? Have you ever thought about which words in English have been borrowed from Arabic, French or Dutch? Try admiral, landscape and marmalade just for starters. The Secret Life of Words is a wide-ranging account not only of the history of English, but also of how words witness history, reflect social change and remind us of our turbulent past. Henry Hitchings delves into our promiscuous language and reveals how and why it has absorbed words from more than 350 other languages many originating from the most unlikely of places, such as shampoo from Hindi and kiosk from Turkish. From the Norman Conquest to the present day, Hitchings narrates the story of English as an archive of our human experience and uncovers the secrets behind everyday words. This is a celebration of our language; after reading it, you will never again take the words we use for granted.Winner John Llewellyn Rhys Prize 2008. ...Show more

Fowler's Modern English Usage by H.W. Fowler and Ernest Gowers

$10.00 NZD

Category: Reference | Series: Oxford Paperbacks | Reading Level: very good

This reference offers guidance on English grammar and discusses the meanings, proper use, and pronunciation of a wide range of words.