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Having travelled There and Back again, with The Hobbit, I chose the Etymologicon, by Mark Forsyth, as my next book to read on the Kindle.

 

I love words, along with their etymology, and as this book came recommended by one who knows these things I had high hopes for this collection.

In fact, I thought that it might be a perfect 'toilet book'; one of those titles that you dip in and out of, as you pass the time, in the smallest room.

(Actually there are smaller rooms in the castle but that's another story).

 

As it turned out, I found the book far more fascinating than that, and ended up reading it cover to cover without feeling the need to have a parallel novel on the go.

It's a good job that I did not limit my reading of it to the Throne Room [it has suddenly occurred to me to wonder if the Dominion card of the same name is derived from the euphemism] because that would have left a lot of cross legged pikelets waiting patiently outside the great oak door.

 

Ha. Toilet humour. There was a whole chapter on that. 

Thomas Crapper debunked along with the jaded old 'Store High In Transit' and assorted swear word myths.

 

The origins of the Starbuck and Bluetooth brands were both intriguing, and I am glad I was never called to 'testify' in a medieval court.

Yeah, I know that these statements are completely meaningless if you've not read the book - but if you have the vaguest interest in history or words (and ideally both) then you really should.

 

On a related note, I haven't had to recharge my Kindle since its first power up on Christmas Day. That's a pretty cool battery life.

 

Now, what to read next..?