Bees' Knees and Barmy Armies

Every day we pepper our speech with hundreds of phrases, place names and expressions, but rarely do we think about their origins. If we did, we'd be in for a treat, because the stories behind our sayings are often fascinating, amusing and intriguing. Following on from the bestselling March Hares and Monkeys' Uncles, once again Harry Oliver has delved deep into the history behind hundreds, and produced a tome packed with answers to the questions you might ask about the words and phrases we all use but rarely stop to ponder. From ancient idioms to up-to-the-minute lingo, this book has it all.

Harry Oliver holds a fascination for the quirky stories that lie behind aspects of our everyday lives. He is the author of three other bestselling books, including Black Cats and April Fools, and Cat Flaps and Mousetraps. He lives and works in London.