Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

As most readers, I think, I'm quite obsessed with words, with the things they do, the different meanings they can have, and the way they connect to the world. So of course Mark Forsyth's The Etymologicon was something for me. Icon Books' newest edition, The Illustrated Etymologicon, takes the fun to a whole new level however. Thanks to Icon Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the tenth anniversary of the original publication for The Etymologicon and its rerelease as an illustrated hardback surely gives some indication of its success. Forsyth's book is beloved for all the reasons I list below and even though I had already read it digitally years ago, I once again found myself delighted by it. While etymology might feel like one of those dry subjects old men with white beards engage in, Forsyth absolutely brings it to life in a way that is both accessible and erudite. You will definitely learn something from The Illustrated Etymologicon, but not just how certain words link or where they originate form. What I found most rewarding about the book is that it teaches you how to keep looking at things. A word may just seem a word, you use it everyday and you think you know what it means and is. But Forsyth shows that actually paying closer attention, pondering on things, drawing connections and doing research, is incredibly rewarding. This focused attention which the book teaches is also very valuable for life in general. Take your time with things, don't dismiss them as obvious, and find unexpected joy. Quite a takeaway from a book technically about language!

The Illustrated Etymologicon is dedicated to what Forsyth called the 'glorious insanities of the English language' (15) and it is therefore delightfully insane in its own way. Where usually I might describe the different sections of a book or its chapters or stories, it is simply impossible to do that for the Etymologicon. I mean, the second piece describes how gene pool came from a medieval French game of shooing a chicken. A much later section tells how the name Wendy came about due to J.M. Barrie and a young girl called Margaret. And did you know the phrase in the doghouse also comes from this play? As a Medievalist with a love for Old English I also enjoyed the section on 'The Five Fingers' which explains not just the word digital but also gives us all the Old English names for the different fingers. Guess which one the leech finger is! Another delightful aspect was Forsyth's commentary on Shakespeare having never met a map in his life (253), his incisive commentary on how prejudice influences language (110). and the saltiness of the Halcyon days. I also loved the little section on 'Coincidences & Patterns' and the nuance it provides between mere coincidences and the graft of philology and linguistics. It is nigh impossible to summarise a book like the Etymologicon, but suffice to say it is delightful, full of interesting information and facts, and funny writing.

Forsyth's writing remains delightful. At no point does The Illustrated Etymologicon feel like it's talking down to you or actively teaching you, and yet you definitely learn from it. Not only are there delightful facts to entertain a boring dinner party with, but there is also just the joy of finding connections where you didn't expect them. This illustrated edition is also absolutely stunning. Icon Books was kind enough to send me a physical review copy and it is simply stunning. Not only is the book design itself, with its swirling letters, big comma illustrations, and different typesetting, great, but the illustrations are also really well-done and well-placed. The illustrations have an old-timey feel to it without looking outdated and often made me laugh as they tend to highlight the funnier aspects of specific words or phrases. The Illustrated Etymologicon is like the "coffee table book" par excellence with its beautiful cover, book design, and illustrations, and I intend that as the highest compliment. It is beautifully done, with something exciting to see one very page. You can dip in and out of it over a coffee and a biscuit, or, like me, obsessively read through it in a few sittings.

The Illustrated Etymologicon is indeed a lovely stroll through the English language, full of beautiful illustrations and stunningly designed. Mark Forsyth's writing remains insightful and funny, even ten years on, and I can't wait to get annoying again about etymological facts.

This was an amazing and fascinating read from start to finish. The writing style was conversational and felt like someone was chatting to you about the history of words and answering many of the lexical questions we have all had. The book is gorgeously illustrated throughout and many of the illustrations add a comic edge to the accompany knowledge. A perfect coffee table book which you can drop in and out of as needed. This is also a lovely beautiful gift any word lover would be delighted to receive!

A humorous and truly compelling stroll through the fascinating world of etymology written in an engaging and accessible manner and with enough wit and wisdom to keep you turning the pages long into the evening. For anyone interested in the origins of the English language this is a perfect primer to fuel your interest further. Highly recommended.

This book is fascinating. The author takes you on a journey through different origins and meanings of words in such a way that you hardly notice how much you've read. It just all sort of flows together. I really enjoyed how detailed the discussion was, but without being too convoluted or so academic that I felt I was studying, rather than reading for enjoyment.

An engagingly readable celebration of the curious and sometimes downright weird connections between words, and how a fascination with word origins and derivations can lead us down some interesting and unusual detours into the endless complexity that is the English language.

I love this book!

In this book, Mark Forsyth takes us on a journey through the English language, starting with the phrase "a turn-up for the books", discussing its origins and evolution and then leading us from that to the next phrase. This process is repeated until we find ourselves back at "a turn-up for the books".

I have an interest in language, its uses and idiosyncrasies so this book really appealed to me. I found Forsyth's writing particularly enjoyable, as he adds a blend of humour to his descriptions. The illustrations really add to the reader's enjoyment too.

I don't think you have to be a word nerd to enjoy this book. Anyone with a bit of a passion for trivia would enjoy this (there's a quiz at the back) and I think it'd make a great gift come Christmas time. This is one I'll be returning to.

A fascinating romp through the origin and (sometimes a bit stretched) relationship between words. Heady and breathy, the author very obviously is in love with English and it's origins. As a word nerd myself I appreciated his sheer love for the obscure and obscured meanings of our words. However, the book does read almost like a stream of consciousness and was (for me) rather exhausting to read at length in one go.

Doing that is like listening to one of those people that manages to never take a breath and keep talking. Take it in bites, and leave in full view on the table to look smart.

As an English man I think the book is endearingly eccentric - some might wonder at the point of it but that leads to one of my favourite quotes: "Everyone else is mad but the English - are eccentric."

God bless England, and God bless oxymoronic books like this - seriously essential frippery.

Thanks to Icon Books for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I am such a nerd when it comes to learning about words and sentences and phrases and punctuation. Some may find it immensely boring to read about word origin, but I am always desperate to learn more. It is a book full of stuff we don’t NEED to know, but all the stuff we WANT to know - especially if it helps in a pub quiz.

The formatting of my digital proof was a little off which meant reading it, at times, was problematic, but this will be sorted out for publication. But this didn’t distract too much from the fascination of Forsyth’s writing. The research he must have done for this book is commendable.

The main thing I found really interesting was his ability to weave words and their meanings into one another, proving everything and all of us are all connected and integrated.

This book is the perfect format for dipping in and out of when you get the time to read. It also makes a good talking point on your bookshelf.

A good interesting book from a few years ago on the origin of words, framed in an interesting way linking from one word to another. A slight QI feel in the telling, factual, accessible with some humour. The reissue (clue is in the title) - an illustrated edition ranging from graphic/illustrative design to accompanying drawings and imagery on all pages. Sylish, interested and varied to suit the topics, some pages with the text woven in as part of the design. An interesting book to look at as well as read.

The Illustrated Etymologicon was a delight from start to finish. I have always had an interest in the origin of words, and this book presented such facts in a fun and interesting way, each piece of information leading us off in a fascinating new direction. For lovers of the English language, this book will prove both enjoyable and informative, and with its pleasing formatting and presentation, it will also make a wonderful coffee table read, to get guests talking or to simply dip into whenever you have a moment to spare.

I absolutely loved this book! If you're a fan of the podcast "something rhymes with purple" I'd highly recommend you buy this book as it's based on a similar interest, just with less waffling. It's interesting to see how certain words came about, and their link to other words which could seem unconnected to the uneducated. This is a perfect present for any language lovers, and bibliophiles

A fascinating look into the origin of words.

Whilst not the most in-depth book on language I have ever read, The Illustrated Etymologicon is an interesting and highly enjoyable, if somewhat dense, read. The illustrations, whilst at times distracting, enliven the pages and are very well done.

Overall, not a book to read in one sitting and not the most informative, but an interesting, well-written and beautifully illustrated look at the history of words.

Thanks to Icon Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Once upon a time there was the Etymologicon. Then there was... the Horologicon (see http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/The_Horologicon:_A_Day%27s_Jaunt_Through_the_Lost_Words_of_the_English_Language_by_Mark_Forsyth). And now... there's the Etymologicon. But with pictures. And they're just annoying. (And by illustration what they tend to mean is quite unnecessary font gubbins, with huge letters splodged at bonkers angles across the page. It's all unsightly.) On this evidence I'd very much like to have stuck to the original, with all its wonderful, wish-I-could-remember-it-all word trivia, from Pocahontas' place in between bollocks and your laptop keyboard to countless other bizarre journeys. Indeed, the link between a mad murderer chopping his penis off, the OED and Winston Churchill is a rarely-discussed one, although on this evidence it's hard to wonder why. Nothing here needed the ugly "enlivening the page" or whatever the reboot was done in aid of. Instead, stars get dropped.