Word books are a lot of fun, and The Little Book of Lost Words: Collywobbles, Snollygosters, and 86 Other Surprisingly Useful Terms Worth Resurrecting, by Joe Gillard is one of the best. Some you will recognize (due to lots of reading and watching PBS) others will be new. The author gives the origin of the word, partners it with an old painting, and then gives a present day definition. I am rather fond of 'snollygoster' (a dishonest or corrupt person, usually a politician) and 'snuggery' (a small, cozy space).

It took many years but I finally got my hands on a copy of Canajan, Eh? by Mark M. Orkin with illustrations by Isaac Bickerstaff. It's a used copy and the dust jacket is missing, but it's in excellent shape and was fun to read again. Here are words and definitions that are uniquely Canadian. I love the regional dialects, the author expresses those well! It would help to know a bit about Canadian history to enjoy this book.

Reading Hermit With Dog