Dickens penned close to five million words in his lifetime and possessed a vocabulary as wide and whimsical as his imagination, zany and fun words such as wiglomeration, catawampous, comfoozle, tintinnabulation, and snuggery. Culled from his fifteen classic novels and hundreds of short stories, What the Dickens?! is a literary romp through the twisty alleyways of the Victorian vernacular. Following the etymological trail of fogle-hunters” inOliver Twist, dining at a slap-bang” in Bleak House, or taking care not to get burked” inThe Pickwick Papers, readers will be escorted through a linguistic tour of Dickens’s beloved world. The book will include 200 words alongside pithy commentary, and 30 duo-toned illustrations throughout.
Arvustused
"The research is stellar and the writing terrific. Anyone interested in words or the English language will love this book."?-San Francisco Book Reviewer
Bryan Kozlowski is an author, bookworm, and Dickens devotee. A member of the Dickens Fellowship, his writings on Charles Dickens' life and legacy have appeared in Slate, Country Life magazine, Anglotopia, and Historic UK. He is the author of the children's book Cook Me a Story (Quarto).
