Who Said That First?: The Curious Origins of Common Words and Phrases

Who first wrote 'absence makes the heart grow fonder', 'accidentally on purpose' or 'no pain, no gain?' Did you know that there is no evidence Queen Victoria said 'We are not amused' or Marie Antoinette proclaimed 'Let them eat cake', but 'iron curtain' was in use for 40 years before Winston Churchill said it, and we have P.G. Wodehouse to thank for 'straight from the horse's mouth'? This witty and accessible compendium reveals the obscure origins of over 500 common phrases, dispelling myths and offering plenty of fascinating facts to delight the trivia-holic in all of us.

Max Cryer is a writer, entertainer and broadcaster, who hosts a weekly radio slot on quirks of the English language. In a long career, he has been a schoolteacher, a compere and television host, as well as a performer on the opera stage in London and in cabaret in Las Vegas and Hollywood. Now a full-time writer living in Auckland, he has written many books, including Love Me Tender, The Godzone Dictionary and Hear Our Voices, We Entreat.