The English language is crammed with colourful phrases that we use every day without thinking. It's only when we're asked who smart Alec or silly Billy were, or where expressions such as 'feeling brassed off' or 'once in a blue moon' come from, that we realize there's far more to it all than meets the ear. Luckily we have Albert Jack. After the enormous success of Red Herrings and White Elephants,he continued his search around the world, exploring the origins of hundreds more sayings. The rich sources he unearthed range from the navy, army and law to confidence tricksters and highwaymen, from ancient civilizations to music halls and pubs. Shaggy Dogs and Black Sheepis a compellingly readable, highly enlightening look at the phrases we use all the time but rarely consider. Read it and you'll never speak, or even think, English in the same way again.