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Around the World in 80 Words
- A Journey Through the English Language
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
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Around the World in 80 Words
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Summary
What makes a place so memorable that it survives forever in a word? In this captivating round-the-world tour, Paul Anthony Jones acts as your guide through the intriguing stories of how 80 places became immortalized in the English language. You'll discover why the origins of turkeys, limericks, Brazil nuts, and Panama hats aren't quite as straightforward as you might presume. If you've never heard of the tiny Czech mining town of Jáchymov - or Joachimsthal, as it was known until the late 1800s - you're not alone, which makes its claim to fame as the origin of the word "dollar" all the more extraordinary. The story of how the Great Dane isn't all that Danish makes the list, as does the Jordanian mountain whose name has become a byword for a tantalizing glimpse. We'll also find out what the Philippines has given to your office inbox, what Alaska has given to your liquor cabinet, and how a speech given by a bumbling North Carolinian gave us a word for impenetrable nonsense.
Surprising, entertaining, and illuminating, this is a must-listen for armchair travelers and word nerds. Our dictionaries are full of hidden histories, tales, and adventures from all over the world - if you know where to look.
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What listeners say about Around the World in 80 Words
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Terrific Terrapin
- 07-10-20
Enjoyable
I really enjoy books on etymology and have purchased a lot with random QI style facts. Anecdotes and stories behind words and objects we all know and take for granted are fascinating to me (another reason why I like Bill Bryson's works). This is no exception, with a nice hook of "Around the World in 80 days/words".
The narrator does a good job with making it sound interesting and not monotone. IMO, too many authors are reading their own works to save money, and most do a poor job, so this was refreshing.
Would like to see an author like this tackle science anecdotes/etymology of words - there is a very brief mention of Haldane, Einstein et al.
Overall, a great read/listen.
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