Another in the series of books I read about the origins of words
we use on a daily basis.
Like the other two, I enjoyed it but maybe the novelty was wearing
off and I didn't enjoy it as much as the other two.
Who knew to "get one's goat" literally meant to go get a goat! In
the past racehorses had companions which calmed them down, and most
of these companions were goats. If the goat was stolen (usually by
a desperate punter) you could safely place a bet that the horse
will lose as it would be agitated.
A treasure trove of such wonderfully whimsical tales of the origins
of phrases.
3 out of 5 for the lovers of trivia and the English Language.