'This year's must-have stocking filler - the angel on the top of the tree, the satsuma in the sock, the three penny bit in the plum pudding, the essential addition to the library in the smallest room is Mark Forsyth's The Etymologicon.' - Ian Sansom Guardian

'I'm hooked on Forsyth's book - Crikey, but this is addictive' - Matthew Parris The Times

'Kudos should go to Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon - Clearly a man who knows his onions, Mr Forsyth must have worked 19 to the dozen, spotting red herrings and unravelling inkhorn terms, to bestow this boon - a work of the first water, to coin a phrase.' Daily Telegraph

'The Etymologicon contains fascinating facts' Daily Mail

'From Nazis and film buffs to heckling and humble pie, the obscure origins of commonly-used words and phrases are explained.' Daily Telegraph

'One of the books of the year. It is too enjoyable for words.' - Henry Coningsby Waterstones Watford

Mark Forsyth is a writer, journalist and blogger. Every job he's ever had, whether as a ghost-writer or proof-reader or copy-writer, had to do with words. He started The Inky Fool blog in 2009 and now writes a post almost every day. The blog has received worldwide attention and enjoys an average of 4,000 hits per week.