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The Horologicon

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The Horologicon

By: Mark Forsyth
Narrated by: Simon Shepherd
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About this listen

The Horologicon - which means 'a book of things appropriate to each hour' - follows a day in the life of unusual, beautiful, and forgotten English words. From the moment you wake to the second your head hits the pillow, there's a cornucopia of hidden words ready for every aspect of your day.

Do you tend to lie in bed before dawn worrying? Then you have the Old English ailment of uhtceare. Uhtceare can lead on to dysania (inability to get out of bed) and other zwoddery problems, which many have suffered but few can name.

From encounters with office ultracrepidarians, lunchtime scamblers, and six o'clock sturmovschinas to the post-work joys of thelyphthoric grinagogs and nimtopsical nympholepsy, Mark Forsyth, author of the Sunday Times number one best seller The Etymologicon, unearths words that you didn't even know you needed. From antejentacular to bedward by way of nuncheon, at last you can say, with utter accuracy, exactly what you mean.

©2012 Mark Forsyth (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Political Science Politics & Government United States World Funny Thought-Provoking Witty

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All stars
Most relevant  
was not expecting such a brilliant book and such a brilliant reader, yet got blessed by both! a must buy indeed, will relisten to it for sure now!

A surprise

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Loved this book and will listen again, ideally with a pen and papar. Many a word that should indeed be kept alive aswel as many origins.

Another triumpth of linguistic

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This is an excellent romp through the lost words of the english language - slightly less usable than the etymologicon but equally funny. Would recommend!

Forsyth & Shepherd - quality duo

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enjoyed the way it introduced different historical eras and was self deprecating throughout. easy to dip in and out of so good one for everyday listening.

entertaining gently humorous

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Entertaining, fascinating and hilarious, I shall endeavour to use some of these very useful words! Well read.

Hilarious and informative

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I think the best way I can describe this is 'patchy'. While there are a fair number of genuinely funny and/or interesting sections, it gets bogged down at times when MF focuses on something for far too long. It's also not as good a recording. Especially towards the end the audio needs editing, as there a quite a few repeated lines.

Not as good as the Etymologican

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The must have book for anyone who loves words and enjoys the obscure.

This is a perfect marriage of Mark Forsyth's collation of unusual delights (how chuffed I was occasionally to be able to crow "I use that word!") and Simon Shepherd's excellent reading. It would be easy to give undue stress to the obscure terms defined here, but Mr Shepherd just.... reads. And it's perfect. And very, very funny. I am so glad that I listened in private. I laughed aloud often, and confess to having cried during the bathroom chapter...

Do not be put off by the division of the book into 'hours'. This is a device for the gathering and sharing of the selected words and phrases. If there is a tangent available, be sure that it will be explored!

My one complaint is technical. In each of the last three chapters there is a small repetition glitch in the recording. It's only a short phrase in each case, but it's like making a mis-step when walking. So, Audible, if you read this, please look into sorting this blemish on this most entertaining book.

Glorious and vastly entertaining

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A fun and fabulous book full of brilliant, useful and zany words...most of which would brighten our days if we still used them! I knew quite a few from reading Georgette Heyer books!
Simon Shepperd was a perfect choice of reader. I eschewed the advice of the author and read it all the way through. There is much fodder for annoying my friends, family and colleagues with ‘new’ vocabulary.

Loved every minute of this day

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So many lost words learned, it will improve your vocabulary significantly. if it does not it will definitely make you laugh along the way.

Lost for words

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Well-written, well-read, interesting subject - wonderful listen!! I'm sure to listen again, and hope to use some of the words in daily conversation!

What a fun listen!

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