Who Said That First? The Curious Origins of Common Words and Phrases

This collection sets out to credit - as far as it's possible to do so - the people who actually created many familiar terms in common use. For example, poor Ernest Dowson is all but forgotten, but author Margaret Mitchell read his 1891 poem 'Non Sum Qualis' and brought one phrase from that poem to the attention of millions. The phrase that caught her eye was 'gone with the wind'. (In 1867, Dowson also wrote another familiar phrase: 'the days of wine and roses'). Written in Max Cryer's delightfully witty style, Who Said That First? is a wonderful book to dip into or settle a friendly dispute.