George Bernard Shaw once said that the United States and Britain are "two nations separated by a common language." If you like PBS, or read a lot of English mysteries, or have done some traveling you will know how true this is. There are books that can help (and probably apps, too, but this blog is about books!) and one of them is Put the Kettle On: an American's Guide to British Slang, Telly and Tea, by Trish Taylor. The author mentions regional differences in 'British English' as well as terms that are old, but you might hear in an old movie, which makes this book all the more fun. There are words about food, and holidays, and a chapter that will make you chuckle ... insults!

Here is one of those 'single item' history books I enjoy so much: A Splintered History of Wood: Belt-Sander Races, Blind Woodworkers & Baseball Bats, by Spike Carlsen. Granted, I spent more time reading the chapter on musical instruments than on sports equipment (except for the caber, don't miss that section!), but there was much more here ... the first wooden tool, the connection between Steinway and the Pacific Northwest, and why there are no original Stradivarius violins. There's an interview with former President Jimmy Carter, and a church with an unusual staircase that was the result of some serious praying. A really interesting read. :-)

Reading Hermit With Dog