Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme by Chris Roberts
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Not quite what I was expecting, but I still enjoyed it. I was expecting a straight forward walk through the people and places behind these age old rhymes. What I got was a mad romp through English history as Eddie Izzard might present it. The author might start off with an explanation of the rhyme, but eventually he will end up in a rant about European historical characters that are only marginally related to the rhyme. His humor is so off-the-beaten-path that the American publishers decided to add a glossary for British slang and pop references.
I enjoyed the book, however, and I was exposed to much European history that I probably never would have heard otherwise. I would recommend the book to any history lover, along with anyone who wants to learn a thing or two about the seamy lives of British aristocracy -- and anyone who also has a healthy amount of ADD.
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