Icon News & Events
Martin Bell reads his Epitaph
Posted on 2011/11/18 in General, tagged as
We’ve recently published For Whom the Bell Tolls by Martin Bell. He’s a man best know for being a BBC war reporter, and then Britain’s first independent MP for 50 years when he was elected to Parliament in 1997. His new book though announced a third career for Martin – that of a poet – and For Whom the Bell Tolls includes verse that he wrote when he was 19, doing his National Service, as well a poems on the big news events of 2011, in particular… Read more »
‘The MUST HAVE stocking filler for this Christmas’
Posted on 2011/11/17 in General, tagged as
Just spotted by an eagle-eyed Icon staffer – this lovely card in Waterstones Picadilly extolling the virtues of The Etymologicon..
New website from John Farndon
Posted on 2011/11/17 in General, tagged as
John Farndon, whose titles for Icon include the bestselling Do You Think You’re Clever? and the follow-up to that book, The World’s Greatest Idea, has a sparkly new website. It’s here – www.johnfarndon.com – so please do take a look!
‘If you like words, it’s for you.’
Posted on 2011/11/16 in General, tagged as
Brian Clegg, author of Icon’s bestselling title this year so far, Inflight Science, has some nice things to say about The Etymologicon on his blog. ‘As the name sort of suggests,’ he writes ‘this is a book about where words come from, which as a writer I’m a sucker for – but anyone should find it fun. It’s light, entertaining and fascinating. Did you know for instance that ‘pool’ as in pooling resources and playing pool has nothing to do with wat… Read more »
Johnny Ball – the man, the legend! #johnnyballisalegend
Posted on 2011/11/15 in General, tagged as
Johnny Ball has probably inspired more people to love science and maths than all your Brian Coxes, Stephen Hawkings and Richard Dawkinses combined. Anyone over the age of about 30 has a special place in their heart for the TV presenter who showed, through his long-running BBC and ITV series in the 1980s, that science and maths needn’t be dull or difficult but are in fact the most exciting subjects you’re ever likely to encounter. So, to celebrate… Read more »
The meaning of Waterstones
Posted on 2011/11/15 in General, tagged as
Mark Forsyth explains that the name of Britain’s leading high street book chain has nothing to do with water, or with stones – but in fact much to do with the village of Wyre Piddle in Worcestershire, pictured left. Read how, here.
‘A perfect bit of stocking-filler for the bookish member of the family, or just a cracking all-year-round read. Highly recommended.’
Posted on 2011/11/15 in General, tagged as
Matthew Richardson in The Spectator adds his voice to the growing chorus of approval for Mark Forsyth’s The Etymologicon. He ends his review – which you can read in full here – with: ‘The snappy section lengths and the perky writing style, plus the comely jacket-less cover, makes this prime fare for the Christmas market. You can read it through at a sitting or two, or dip in as fancy takes. A perfect bit of stocking-filler for the bookish member… Read more »
Etymologicon party guests eat humble pie
Posted on 2011/11/14 in General, tagged as
Book launch parties usually involve the consumption of a predictable diet of canapes and litres of wines. Mark Forsyth, left, for the launch of The Etymologicon recently, tried to do something a bit different – and served guests with genuine Humble Pie. Here’s what Mark says about that particular dish in The Etymologicon: ‘Humble pie is made using the umbles or innards of a deer. Here’s a recipe from Nathan Bailey’s Dictionarium Domesticum of 173… Read more »
‘The stocking filler of the season.’ Robert McCrum on The Etymologicon in the Observer
Posted on 2011/11/13 in General, tagged as
Robert McCrum, left, associate editor of the Observer, has some high praise for Mark Forsyth’s book today. ‘The Etymologicon (the word is Milton’s) links sausages and botulism, testicles and the Bible, even Bikini Atoll and Godzilla,’ he writes. ‘In 250 pages crammed with cross-references, this inky fool has given the nation’s quizzers the stocking filler of the season. How else to describe a book that explains the connection between Dom Pérignon… Read more »
‘This authoritative account of the Cold War arms race.’ The Dead Hand reviewed in Sunday Telegraph
Posted on 2011/11/11 in General, tagged as
The paperback of David E. Hoffman’s Pulitzer Prize winning The Dead Hand was reviewed briefly in the Sunday Telegraph last weekend: ‘Reagan and Gorbachev emerge vividly in this authoritative account of the Cold War arms race that offers disquieting evidence of Soviet weapons parts left unmonitored and unguarded post-glasnost.’ It’s one of the best books Icon have ever published and it’s in paperback now – more details here.
