"A gem of a read that should grace every bookshelf."
‘Walked into a minefield’, ‘Gave him both barrels’ and ‘All guns blazing’ are idioms we are familiar with and which we might easily deduce as having a military origin. Not so much perhaps with ‘go off at half cock’ or ‘freeze the balls off a brass monkey.’ The truth is the modern English language is littered with expressions originating from the battlefield, so much so they have become an accepted and natural part of everyday conversation.
Sabre Prattling is as informative as it is entertaining. A real gem of a book. You’ll find yourself learning things you will be dying to tell your friends but, when you do, be careful not to ‘shoot yourself in the foot’ or ‘go over the top’ lest it be ‘open season’ or you end up ‘facing the music’.
If language interests you, be you reader or writer, of if you simply enjoy reading interesting anecdotes, short lessons of history or unusual facts, this is a book for you. Read it, keep it on the bookshelf, delve into it and enjoy it. A great addition to any bookshelf.
| Primary Genre | History |
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If you want to know what you really mean when you talk about calling the shots, look no further than Sabre Prattling.
Even for someone with a military background, Sabre Prattling has the capacity to surprise. I thought I was clued in about brass monkeys, for example, but the book succinctly disabused me of a long-cherished belief.
Andrew Rigsby’s book is a light-hearted, easily readable canter through phrases one hears every day at home and at work, used as a kind of jargon to give narratives punch, impact and even a hint of machismo.... Read Full Review
