Cassell Dictionary of Cliches - Hardcover

Nigel Rees is the author of over 50 books, including the Cassell Dictionary of Humorous Quotations and the Cassell Companion to Quotations. He is the deviser and presenter of BBC Radio's Quote...Unquote, through which he has become an authority on the popular use of language in slogans, catchphrases, cliche

Rees, a British broadcaster and author of several lexicographic works, here looks at phrases now considered to be cliches. He states that his criterion for inclusion was to focus mostly on phrases that make him groan, "Here we go again!" For each phrase, Rees gives the origin, where it will be most frequently found, approximately when it reached cliche status, and examples of its usage in the press, films, and literature. Cliches well known on both sides of the Atlantic comprise the majority of listings. What makes the book unique, however, are the decidedly British cliches?"gymslip mums" and "like painting the Forth Bridge," for example. Although the book is readable and informative, its usefulness is somewhat limited by the lack of an index or bibliography. Also, citations to sources give dates but no page numbers. Reference collections that already include Christine Ammer's Have a Nice Day?No Problem! (LJ 1/92) or James Rogers's Dictionary of Cliches (Facts on File, 1985) may still find the book useful for its British phrases. Recommended for larger public libraries.?Elaine M. Kuhn, Allen Cty. P.L., Fort Wayne, Ind.
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