Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

20th edition

Susie Dent

$99.99

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Chambers
01 November 2018

Reference; Reference works

"'This is, in fact, not what you were looking for; but it's much more interesting' Terry Pratchett

Much loved for its wit and wisdom since 1870, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable takes you on a captivating adventure through its trademark blend of language, culture, myth and legend. Nowhere else could the histories of the guillotine and Guinness stout sit so comfortably alongside the KGB and the Keystone Kops. Brewer's is a catalogue of curiosities and absurdities that, over almost 150 years in print, has acquired near-mythical status.

Edited by Susie Dent, this new edition includes a brand new Collection of Curious Words and many new and updated entries. Its pages brim with esoteric and entertaining oddities - everything from curious customs to the world of newspapers and political alliances of yesteryear - all seen through the distinctive Brewer lens.

This twentieth edition of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable encapsulates all the charm and wit that characterise its predecessors and maintains the standards of scholarship and eclecticism that have long been its hallmark.

Whether you're a committed Brewerphile or a newcomer to its pages of fascinating entries, this edition will draw you in and keep you glued to its rich mix of eccentric nuggets.

As Susie Dent explains in the foreword, Brewer's ""is unlike any other reference book that exists, anywhere."""

By: Susie Dent
Imprint: Chambers
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 254mm, Width: 170mm, Spine: 74mm
Weight: 2.027kg
ISBN: 9781473676367
ISBN 10: 1473676363
Pages: 1592
Publication Date: 01 November 2018
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Susie Dent is best the resident word expert in Dictionary Corner on C4's Countdown and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, has been on every programme about words: 15 x 15, Word of Mouth, More or Less; and has been a regular panellist on R4's Wordaholics. Susie also answers notes and queries about words and phrases in a weekly column, Dictionary Corner, for the Radio Times and has over 86,000 followers on Twitter.

Reviews for Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (20th edition)

"Of all the dictionaries in the world [Brewer's] is the most like a treasure-hunt, where one phrase leads to another, and that to a third, and before you know what's happened, it's time for lunch -- Philip Pullman An idiosyncratic adventure, pulling you in and saying: ""this is, in fact, not what you were looking for; but it's much more interesting"" -- Terry Pratchett Off each page of Brewer's leaps some titbit of cultural or linguistic miscellany, much of which this reader didn't even know that he didn't know... A delight to flip around * The Economist * An addiction may develop * Independent * For almost 150 years it has been a celebrated treasure-trove of curious words, forgotten folklore and colourful olde worlde insults...It's opinionated, incomplete, haphazard and strangely addictive. * The Telegraph * that wonderful reference work Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable. Endlessly fascinating, it is an idiosyncratic treasure trove of word history, culture, folk lore and legend-and one of my favourite books. * The Bookseller * Whoever it was who said that you learn something new every day had obviously never read Brewer's Dictionary Of Phrase And Fable. Browsing through this latest edition, I learned something new every few seconds... Who can fail to love a book that is jam-packed with such colourful and random information?... in what other reference book in the world would you ever find the Dalai Lama, the Daleks and Arthur Daley all rubbing shoulders on the same page? * The Daily Mail *"