Horsefeathers: & Other Curious Words

From “mad as a wet hen” to “corn dodger” and “hobgoblin,” Charles Funk’s collections of curious words and expressions are a treasure trove of word origin.

If you’ve ever wondered why the candy is called butterscotch; why a certain Southern food is called a hushpuppy; why log supports in a fireplace are known as andirons, or, sometimes, firedogs; you’ll be fascinated by the origins of the over 600 words discussed in “a book that gets curiouser and curiouser as it goes along”(San Francisco Chronicle).

Oh, horsefeathers!

If you've ever wondered why the candy is called butterscotch; why a certain southern food is called a hush puppy; why tog supports in a fireplace are known as andirons, or sometimes firedogs, you'll be fascinated by the origins of the more than 600 words discussed in "a book that gets curiouser and curiouser as it goes along" (Son Francisco Chronicle).