'Napoo', 'compray', 'san fairy ann', 'toot sweet' are anglicized French phrases that came into use on the Western Front during the First World War as British troops struggled to communicate in French. Over four years of war they created an extraordinary slang which reflects the period and brings the conflict to mind whenever it is heard today. Julian Walker, in this original and meticulously researched book, explores the subject in fascinating detail. In the process he gives us an insight ...

The First World War largely directed the course of the 20th century. Fought on three continents, the war saw 14 million killed and 34 million wounded. Its impact shaped the world we live in today, and the language of the trenches continues to live in the modern consciousness. One of the enduring myths of World War I is that the experience of the trenches was not talked about. Yet dozens of words entered or became familiar in the English language as a direct result of the soldiers' experien...

Conspirituality takes a deep dive into the troubling phenomenon of influencers who have curdled New Age spirituality and wellness with the politics of paranoia—peddling vaccine misinformation, tales of child trafficking, and wild conspiracy theories.In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a disturbing social media trend emerged: a large number of yoga instructors and alt-health influencers were posting stories about a secretive global cabal bent on con...

The period 2010–2019 was one of change and colour in Reading’s bus services. Many routes and liveries were altered, not just for Reading Buses but also other operators that ran longer-distance services into the town. There was expansion as Reading Buses took on the services of other operators in the middle of the decade and new operators appeared.Author and photographer Julian Walker traces the development of the bus network in Reading, the vehicles that were introduced and the cha...

The First World War largely directed the course of the twentieth century. Fought on three continents, the war saw 14 million killed and 34 million wounded. Its impact shaped the world we live in today, and the language of the trenches continues to live in the modern consciousness.One of the enduring myths of the First World War is that the experience of the trenches was not talked about. Yet dozens of words entered or became familiar in the English language as a di...

Invocation:A Prayer for the Lost DreamTo the personWho could have been a parson,To the actor, live wireWho wanted to be a cab-driver,Or who went wildOver Lady Godiva,I am speaking, pal,Of your lost dream, gal,The one that alwaysComes close (near miss),Of poets and poems, only a notion,Of masterpieces muffledBy bad association,Dreams postponed due toUnwanted situat...

This book explores the differing ways in which language has been used to try to make sense of the First World War. Offering further developments in an innovative approach to the study of the conflict, it develops a transnational viewpoint of the experience of war to reveal less expected areas of language use during the conflict.Taking the study of the First World War far beyond the Western Front, chapters examine experiences in many regions, including Africa, Armenia, post-war Aust...

A free collection of 150 top travel tips and a few inspirational quotations, in a whimsical collection intended to provide some assistance for travellers who may be pausing for thought, looking for light relief, planning trips, or starting out on their own adventures in life.They are not instructions or recommendations, nor should they be adopted as a policy guideline, but viewed merely as things to potentially consider when travelling - either for business or pleasure.The ...

Psychiatry in Prisons provides a comprehensive overview of the history, problems and development of psychiatric health care in prisons, focusing particularly on the UK. The contributors tackle a broad range of issues, from familiar mental health issues such as substance misuse, self-injury and health screening to complex legal, moral and philosophical dilemmas. It also draws comparisons with the US correctional mental health system and the delivery of mental health services in New Zealand ...

"An illustrated analytical study, Words and the First World War considers the situation at home, at war, and under categories such as race, gender and class to give a many-sided picture of language used during the conflict." The SpectatorFirst World War expert Julian Walker looks at how the conflict shaped English and its relationship with other languages. He considers language in relation to mediation and authenticity, as well as the limitations and potential of ...

Have you ever wondered why we talk about a handicap in sport, why boxing is so named, or whether a dumbbell ever rang? It was during the nineteenth century that hitherto local games with relaxed and varying rules were formalized. During this process terminologies developed to refer to these new standardized sports, borrowing, modifying and redefining words from all walks of life in sometimes strange and unexpected ways. Considering such subjects as why sport shares so many words with the f...

Invocation: prayer for the lost dream To the person Who could have been a parson + To the actorlive wire Who wanted to be a cab-driva Or who went wild Over Lady Godiva I am speaking pal Of your lost dream gal The one that always Comes close (near Miss) Of Poets & Poemsonly a notion Of masterpieces muff-ed On bad association, Dreams postponed from Unwanted situations Charity cases without End: Lord grant me my true worth My karma mend.