What does it mean to 'chew the fat'? Why do we put things in 'apple-pie order'? And what on earth is a 'hat trick'? Readers will learn all this and more in this fun and engaging new addition to the Complete Idiot's Guide® series, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weird Word Origins. This humorous book provides entertaining insight on the often metaphorical, always taken-for-granted phrases and expressions used every day. In it, language expert Paul McFedries takes readers through the sometimes surprising, always amusing world of weird words and expressions, and the fascinating stories that surround them. Presented in a fun, easy-to-read style, this book takes readers on a journey through the bizarre and eccentric origins that make up our everyday speech.

Get ready to chew the fat. This engaging, humorous new book explains the not-so-common origins of such commonly used phrases as “apple-pie order,” “chew the fat,” and “hat trick.” Presented in a fun, easy-to-read style, it provides entertaining insight on metaphorical phrases, weird words, and strange expressions and takes readers on a journey through the bizarre and eccentric origins that make up our everyday speech. • Word books have gained in popularity not just with students and linguaphiles, but with a general population interested in the fascinating development of our language. • Contains back stories for 500 intriguing words and phrases. • Fun to flip through and also fun to read cover to cover.

Uncle John is back with the 36th annual Bathroom Reader, an all-new collection of entertaining articles that explore the weird and wonderful world we live in. In this 36th edition of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader, longtime fans and new readers alike will be astounded by a treasure trove of wonderfully weird (and true!) stories that explore the realms of pop culture, history, sports, science, and everyday folks, including the always popular misadventures of dumb crooks. Uncle John and his team at the Bathroom Readers’ Institute have reached into all corners of the world to bring you this all-new collection of entertaining and informative articles that include short reads for a quick trip to the throne room as well as longer page-turners for when you take an extended visit. You’ll also find a plethora of amusing lists, odd factoids, quotes, and quizzes that will tickle every trivia enthusiast’s fancy.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Drawing Superheroes and Villains, Illustratedis the series' fourth release in the step-by-step, how-to-draw arena, and the first to venture outside the realm of manga. But like the two manga books before it (The Complete Idiot's Guide to Manga- Fantasy Creatures andThe Complete Idiot's Guide to Manga- Shoujo), this guide follows the same 4-color format in which readers learn how to create a variety of characters with more than 400 illustrations that are broken up into six- to eight-step series. Colour is used in each sequential step to clarify how the new strokes add to the work in progress as the reader works toward each final full-colour character. In this book, readers learn to create original superheroes and villains that are patterned after the underlying traits associated with well-known characters, but without replicating what's already been done by the likes of Marvel and DC Comics. By drawing these unique figures and seeing how they are both similar to and different from the established superheroes and villains, readers gain inspiration for creating their own truly original characters.

WWII began in 1939 as a European conflict between Germany and an Anglo-French coalition but eventually widened to include most of the nations of the world. It ended in 1945, leaving a new world order dominated by the United States and the USSR. This book features updated and expanded coverage of the fateful D-Day invasion, a critical timeline of major WW II events, and a WW II timeline highlighting the crucial and most important events of the war. It will include details about major battles on land, in the air, and on the sea - starting with Hitler's rise to power and his goal of European conquest; to Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbour; to the decisive battles such as D-Day and the Battle of Midway, which turned the tides of the war toward the Allies.

- Over 38 percent of all seniors in the U.S. now use the Internet. - Covers the most popular activities seniors enjoy - Facebook, GoogleSearch, and more!

Have you ever wondered where certain words and phrases come from? In this informative and entertaining book, Herbruck explores the histories of some of the most unusual words in the English language. From the origins of "hocus pocus" to the mysterious roots of "mumbo jumbo," readers will be delighted by the surprising stories behind the words we use every day. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Defines over 1,000 words in subject areas such as people, computers, business, law, culture, and government, as well as foreign terms and new words.

From Astrology to the Zodiac... The Complete Idiot's Guide® Astrology Dictionary gives readers over 1,500 entries on everything about astrology from A to Z, including everything they need to know to read their chart and make interpretations. ?Organized in two sections for quick and easy reference, providing readers with the meaning of the term or topic, then interpretations that can be applied for readers to learn more about themselves or others ?Tognetti is also the lead author of The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Astrology, Fourth Edition, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Tarot, Second Edition, and The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Tarot Spreads.