Many people know that Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) was a pioneering guitarist and songwriter whose electric playing and performances were at the heart of Sixties pop culture. What, perhaps, they don't know is that he trained as a paratrooper in the Army; that his first guitar cost only $5, while the guitar he set light to at the Monterey Pop Festival later sold for $380,000; that the Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded only 3 studio albums; and that he is one of many rock stars to have died at the age of 27. This book presents an instant impression of his life, work and fame, with an array of irresistible facts and figures converted into infographics to reveal the artist behind the music.

Words are the building blocks of language, but their derivations are often stories in themselves. Have you ever wondered why we wear perfume, read magazines, vote for candidates, speak in jargon? With entries from Accolade to Zoo and including such disparate items as 'blackmail', 'fiasco', 'influence' and 'rigmarole', Dictionary of Word Origins explains the origins and development of 300 commonly used words. Essays scattered throughout the book deal with more general topics such as 'A Taste of India', 'Days of the Week' and 'Precise Timing' and allow the authors to expand on broader themes. The result is an indispensable guide to the richness and diversity of the English language and an endless source of fascination for anyone who delights in words.