Hue and Cry and Humble Pie

Library Journal

Freeman's ``new'' book appears to be a reprint of his 1985 work, The Story Behind the Word ( LJ 8/85), published under a new title. The two- to three-paragraph stories about words and short phrases are often fascinating and humorous, but Freeman warns the reader that although he has taken material from reliable sources, much was gleaned from folk etymology and therefore its authenticity cannot be guaranteed. The author's word selection seems capricious: French leave is unusual enough to warrant an entry, but why halibut ? An index helps the reader find additional words embedded in other words' stories. An interesting book for language buffs, this is not an essential reference purchase, especially for collections owning The Oxford English Dictionary .-- Cathy Sabol, Northern Virginia Community Coll., Manassas