What's in a name?

About this book

Renowned linguist Eugene Ehrlich once again delves into the entertaining stories behind the words we use every day, mining the past to find the historical and literary figures who have lent their names in the interest of keeping our language vibrant and exciting. In What's in a Name? Ehrlich traces the history of both words and their progenitors, illuminating the legacy of Louis Braille, inventor of the system of embossed printing for the blind; the verbal acrobatics of Baron Munchausen; the sadism of the Marquis de Sade; and much more. What's in a Name? is sure to titillate, amuse, and enlighten word buffs, history lovers, and trivia pursuers alike.