One for Sorrow: a Book of Old-Fashioned Lore

Many of the popular, often prophetic, phrases that people use on a day-to-day basis have their roots in traditional folklore. For example: "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb," "Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home," and "The best-laid schemes o'mice an' men." Such common idioms are familiar to most people, but their history and origins are far from well known. Here readers will discover that there is a wealth of fascinating stories and history behind them. This charming book is filled with sayings, legends, and proverbs derived from the oral history of the countryside, and it unveils how they came about, what they mean, and how they came to be such a big part of language today. Written with a light touch and expert knowledge, it will entertain and inform in equal measure—the perfect gift for anyone with an interest in the rich and varied heritage of the English language.

Chloe Rhodes is the author of Black Cats & Evil Eyes, A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi: Words We Pinched From Other Languages, and An Unkindness of Ravens.