History English Words

In this unique new history of the world's most ubiquitous language, linguistics expert David Crystal draws on words that best illustrate the huge variety of sources, influences, and events that have helped to shape our vernacular since the first definitively English word was written down in the fifth century ("roe", in case you are wondering). Featuring Latinate and Celtic words, weasel words and nonce-words, ancient words ("loaf") to cutting edge ("twittersphere") and spanning the indispensable words that shape our tongue ("and", "what") to the more fanciful ("fopdoodle"), Crystal takes us along the winding byways of language.

Named a Best Book of 2025 by The New Yorker “Excellent and timely.” —The New Yorker “Informative, insightful and provocative, On Antisemitism couldn’t be more timely.” —The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “An immense contribution. . . . In tracing the evolving meaning of ‘antisemitism...

Robert Tombs' momentous The English and Their History is both a startlingly fresh and a uniquely inclusive account of the people who have a claim to be the oldest nation in the world. The English first came into existence as an idea, before they had a common ruler and before the country they lived in even had a name. They have lasted as a recognizable entity ever since, and their defining national institutions can be traced back to the earliest years of their history.

This compelling #1 New York Times bestseller examines the legacy of slavery in America—and how both history and memory continue to shape our everyday lives. Beginning in his hometown of New Orleans, Clint Smith leads the reader on an unforgettable tour of monuments and landmarks—those that...

Mark Lane tried the only US court case in which the jurors concluded that the CIA plotted the murder of President Kennedy, but there was always a missing piece: How did the CIA control cops and secret service agents on the ground in Dealey Plaza? How did federal authorities prevent the House Select Committee on Assassinations from discovering the truth about the complicity of the CIA? Now, Mark Lane tells all in this explosive new book.

This is the history of the world, in summarized form. Learn how the major figures, events, and ages of history connect without detail-overload. Spanning from the beginning of the Universe to the Space Age, and even predictions of the future, this is the shortest history book you will ever read.

If you’re looking for a book that gives you a great snapshot into what was going on in Pennsylvania during the American Revolutionary War, and for that matter the newly founded United States, I think you’ll find this book ideal. Going through the state of Pennsylvania’s Revolutionary War Pension Archives I picked out, what I felt, were interesting and detailed stories of our forefathers’ efforts in fighting that war. As you read their detailed stories in their own words, as they told them to the court in order to obtain pension benefits, I think you will be amazed at the wide range ...

Isaac Newton is remembered as the father of modern science—but few realize he was also a devoted student of the Bible. Behind the discoveries of gravity and motion stood a man who spent decades immersed in Scripture, determined to separate God’s truth from human tradition. Isaac Newton: Workman of God’s Word uncovers a side of Newton history has long obscured. While he revolutionized physics and mathematics, he also quietly penned thousands of pages of biblical commentary, convinced that Christianity had been corrupted by church councils and imperial politics. Drawing directly from ...

Discover the fascinating stories behind the words you use every day. Have you ever wondered where words like "serendipity," "quarantine," or "avatar" come from? The Hidden Histories of Everyday Words takes you on a journey through the intriguing origins and surprising evolutions of the words that shape our language. From ancient myths and medieval traditions to modern technology and pop culture, this book uncovers the rich and often unexpected histories behind the language we use every day. Explore how a term for a humble peasant became synonymous with villainy, how a sacred Hindu concept ...

A New York Times bestseller One of the preeminent linguists of our time examines the realms of language that are considered shocking and taboo in order to understand what imbues curse words with such power--and why we love them so much. Profanity has always been a deliciously vibrant part of...

What was the early Church like? Contrary to popular belief, Rod Bennett shows there is a reliable way to know. Four ancient Christian writers - four witnesses to early Christianity - left us an extensive body of documentation on this vital subject, and this book brings their fascinating testimony to life for modern believers. With all the power and drama of a gripping novel, this book is a journey of discovery of ancient and beautiful truths through the lives of four great saints of the early Church Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus of Lyons.

A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR A “rich hybrid of memoir and history” (The New Yorker) of the literary art form that has transformed the cultural landscape, by one of its influential practitioners, an award-winning poet, professor, and slam champion “Bennett…transport[s] us...

Laura Jane Grace doesn’t defy rock ‘n’ roll. She defines it. In an inspiring examination of identity and creativity, the founder and frontwoman of notorious punk band Against Me! recounts the story of her extraordinary life, her rise to fame, and the painful but powerful moments that have led her to where she is now. Black Me Out invites listeners to not only hear Grace’s complicated journey through gender dysphoria, addiction, mental health, and artistic integrity, but recognize the universal pursuit of our authentic selves. Track the common journey with a modern icon.

What difference does it make that Jesus was Jewish? In this unabridged audio download of Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus, Lois Tverberg challenges readers to follow their Rabbi more closely by reexamining his words in the light of their Jewish context. Doing so will provide a richer, deeper...

A sweeping history of the great state of Hawaii. From ancient Polynesian voyagers navigating by stars to modern debates over sacred mountains, Hawaii's story is one of the most remarkable in American history. In The Aloha State, Daniel Hardy masterfully chronicles seventeen centuries of triumph, tragedy, and transformation in America's island paradise. This sweeping narrative begins with the first brave souls who crossed thousands of miles of open ocean in double-hulled canoes, guided only by wind, waves, and ancestral knowledge. Hardy brings to life the rise and fall of Hawaiian kingdoms, ...

A survey of the quirks and quandaries of the English language, focusing on our strange and wonderful grammar. Why do we say "I am reading a catalog" instead of "I read a catalog"? Why do we say "do" at all? Is the way we speak a reflection of our cultural values? Delving into these provocative topics and more, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue distills hundreds of years of fascinating lore into one lively history.

Was Paul truly against the Law—or have we misunderstood his words for nearly two millennia? In Not Against the Law: The Apostle Paul in His Own Words, author Michael Antonio Jeter takes readers on a powerful journey into the heart of Paul’s teachings—through the lens of Scripture, history, and Hebraic context. This groundbreaking book dismantles centuries of doctrinal confusion and reveals the apostle’s unwavering commitment to Torah, covenant, and the teachings of the Messiah. Drawing directly from Paul's epistles and supported by historical and biblical references, Jeter ...

Since the dawn of civilization, humanity has looked up and gazed into the unknown, seeking answers to fundamental questions: Why is the sky blue? Why do stars twinkle? Where do asteroids come from? What is a black hole? When did galaxies form? What is dark matter and dark energy? How did it all begin? And how will it all end? If you have questions, this book has answers. And if it does not have an answer, it will take you to the frontier of our ignorance, to the edge of what we know. Our journey begins close to home, in the solar system and our neighboring planets. Then we will venture into...

Winston Churchill understood and wielded the power of words throughout his six decades in the public eye. His wartime writings and speeches revealed both his vision for the future and his own personal feelings, fascinating generation after generation with their powerful style and thoughtful reflection. In this book Churchill's official biographer, Martin Gilbert, has skilfully selected 200 extracts from his entire oeuvre of books, articles and speeches that reflect his life story, career and philosophy.

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Word Freak, a vibrant, illuminating journey through the exotic world of Merriam-Webster, dictionaries, and language, at a time of rapid-fire change in the way we create, consume, define, and use words Words are the currency of culture—and never...