It has always been my practice to “read around” a subject, to become familiar with the nooks and crannies, so to speak. Thus when I was studying Economic History I read Rural Rides, by William Cobbett. It had no bearing on what was likely to come up in the exam, but it gave me a feel for the era in which Cobbett was writing.
Similarly, while studying Hamlet I read Bradley and E.M.W. Tillyard. Again, they gave me a broader perspective, perhaps even a deeper one, and was worth the investment of time even though I doubted there would be a direct question in the exam.
Stephen Potter, in his one-upmanship books, poked gentle fun at the tendency of some people to use their expertise as a way of appearing superior to others — even if it means making it all up. In this preposterous passage on “pipemanship”, Potter proposes the following:
“If you are a pipe-is-my-best-friend man, it is advisable to study pipes as if they were pieces of rare porcelain, and know about pipe history. A sound gambit here is to show that everything is ever so much more early than anybody thought. So far, for instance, from Raleigh having introduced the primitive leaf to England, it is no exaggeration to say that what he brought back was in everything, perhaps, but the exact name and appearance, a packet of Camels. Try referring to neolithic times, mention Orkney excavations, and say something of the Cigarro casts of the mesolithic boulder and delta folk.”
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If, like me, you enjoy reading around a subject, and probing a little deeper than strictly necessary, and you are an avid reader or a determined writer, Bookish Words should appeal to you. If you are a bookworm, you will be delighted to discover that this book will provide you with chapter and verse on the origins of certain bookish words and phrases which have made their way into everyday usage.
Each entry explains what the word or phrase means nowadays, its origins, and how it developed over time. Being a short book, it doesn’t demand that you wade through reams of paper to read it from start to finish. Alternatively, it very much lends itself to dipping into and, of course, use as a reference work.
Or, if you’re that way inclined, for a bit of one-upmanship.
This article was first published in my Eclecticism newsletter. Please go there to leave a comment.