Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme - Softcover

Roberts, Chris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1592402178 ISBN 13: 9781592402175

Publisher: Gotham, 2006

Synopsis

A history of the origins and meanings behind everyday nursery rhymes reveals the popular sport behind "Jack be Nimble," Humpty Dumpty's identity as a cannon mounted on the walls of a Colchester church, and "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary's" ties to the promiscuous court of Mary Queen of Scots. Reprint. 30,000 first printing.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Praise for Heavy Words Lightly Thrown:

"What makes HWLT so much fun to read is not just the wacky stories Roberts tells, but the way Roberts tells them. He has a quick, chummy wit and moves easily between the past and the present, making connections between the way people acted then and the way we act now, and sending up both."
–Orlando Sentinel

"Roberts employs a decidedly playful approach in analyzing the rhymes."
–Chicago Tribune

"Roberts deploys an informal style of scholarship to a dazzling effect, transforming a catalogue of familiar nursery rhymes into a treasure trove of tantalizingly slippery archaisms, hidden etymological layers, arcane associations and buried meanings. This is better than history lite--it's history made delightful."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"HWLT is obviously a labor of love, performed by a man obsessed with language, history, but intent on making the education of his readers a joyous experience."
–Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

"a loving, in-depth look at history, the human condition, and why words and the way they are used matters so much."
–Sunday Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News

"a lighthearted, often hilarious look at the human condition and a fascinating exploration of how words can shape mythology and culture."
–Syracuse Post-Standard

"A fascinating slice of history with quirky, unexpected and often scandalous tales."
–Providence Sunday Journal

"An intriguing & informative historical trip through those odd little songs I sang as an odd little child. A must-have for anyone who has ever been younger than they are now."
-Angus Oblong, creator of "The Oblongs" animated series & author of Creepy Susie: And 13 Other Tragic Tales for Troubled Children

"A merry tour of the origins of favorite nursery rhymes--including wars, land grabs, religious persecution, red-light sex and worthless rulers. Chris Roberts shows that, for understanding our darker nature, Machiavelli's got nuthin' on Mother Goose."
-James Finn Garner, author of Politically Correct Bedtime Stories

About the Author:

Chris Roberts is a librarian in South London and sometime walking tour guide in London. He incorporated these stories into his tours, which became the inspiration for the book. Roberts lived in New York City for several years after earning a degree in history at Swansea University.

About this edition

• Publisher: Gotham
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1592402178
• ISBN 13: 9781592402175
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 202