Wordplay: Origins, Meanings, and Usage of the English Language

Ian C. Nelson is assistant director of libraries at the University of
Saskatchewan, and président de la Troupe du Jour, Regina Summer Stage.

Wordplay is a delightful compilation of articles by the late columnist
for The Globe & Mail and regular contributor to Verbatim: The Language
Quarterly. Whether expounding on folk etymologies or on the bкtes
noires of usage, Cochrane is ever erudite and entertaining. The
publisher has enhanced the presentation by including a clever word index
that makes it typographically clear whether the reference is to a proper
name, a general subject, or a specific word or phrase. If you are not
already the type of person who can get lost in a dictionary, this book
will definitely weave a spell of invitation.