Wonderful Words That Tell a Tale

Wonderful Words That Tell a Tale An Etymological Exploration of Over 100 Everyday Words

Hardback (01 Oct 2024)

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Publisher's Synopsis

From famous wordsmith Tom Read Wilson comes another breathtaking adventure through the English language. Discover the fascinating origin stories behind the words we use in this delightful follow-up to Every Word Tells a Story.

Did you know, for example, that:

  • The word 'astronaut' means 'star sailor' in Ancient Greek?
  • Or that the word 'fart' comes from the world's oldest language, Sanskrit, in the form of 'pard'?
  • Or, that the word 'volcano' comes from the Roman god of fire Vulcan?


Unlock a whole new side to language in this abundant literary adventure. The etymological route, definition, and word origin are explored for four words from every letter of the alphabet, unlocking over 100 wonderful word tales. One word per letter is brought to even more life with an extended poem that can be read or enjoyed aloud, making this a wonderful book to read alone or share with friends and family.

Every word is paired with timeless, characterful watercolor illustrations by Ian Morris. Wonderful Words to Tell a Tale is a journey into the English language through beautiful stories and artwork, a venture to be dipped into and enjoyed over and over again.

Book information

ISBN: 9780711291645
Publisher: Words & Pictures
Imprint: Words & Pictures
Pub date:
Language: English
Number of pages: 112
Weight: 349g
Height: 270mm
Width: 210mm
Spine width: 7mm