There are common words and phrases that we all use all the time: fast lane, eager beaver, no bones about it and more. Where did they all come from? (On the nose is not a racing term, by the way). One was a totally made up word that started as a prank. Word Nerds Unite!: the Fascinating Stories Behind 200 Words and Phrases, by Webb Garrison was a great read! Some of these I knew, some I only thought I knew (and was wrong) and many of the origins were new to me. Delightful!

If you enjoy books about language and how it changes you might like Gobsmacked! The British Invasion of American English, by Ben Yagoda. It's been happening for more than 200 years, after all, and the author traces the words and phrases back to the earliest use he can find. I was not all that surprised, actually, probably because I read so many mysteries by British authors! And, I'll admit to finding some of the history and graphs a bit dry, but overall I enjoyed the book as I am fond of using, um, less than familiar words and phrases. ;-)

Reading Hermit With Dog