Discover the joy of the English language with 500 unusual, interesting and 'perfect' words that will extend your vocabulary and your appreciation of our mother tongue.

Follow a bustling family through their busy day! Each scene is teeming with people, places and things, and you’ll meet people of all races, cultures, lifestyles and abilities as you go.

As English has evolved over the past 1,500 years, words that were once in common usage have slipped out of usage. Some are delightful, others not so much. This book blows the dust off over a thousand delightful words, bringing them to a whole new audience. If you enjoy words for their own sake, or if you are at all curious about how people talked and wrote when the world was a quite different place, then this book is for you. The perfect gift for those who love words. Ever since it emerged as a distinct language from the West Germanic dialect spoken by early arrivals to what is now called England around the 5th Century C.E, English has busily absorbed many thousands of words from Ancient Greek, Roman Latin, the Northern Germanic languages of Scandinavia, the French spoken in Normandy, and more recently from countries that were once part of the British Empire (for example India). Most recently, American English has contributed many words to colourfully describe the modern world. The Oxford English Dictionary in 2011 lists over 250,000 words, and that does not include many more technical and slang words. Use this book like a hungry person might approach a delicious buffet lunch. It deserves to be consumed slowly, savouring the flavours and giving them time to be properly digested.

Two best friends, one summer night, and twenty years of silence ... what happened at the lighthouse? The stunning, haunting new novel from the author of The Lost Summers of Driftwood. Sylvie is a lover of words and a collector of stories, only she has lost her own. She has no words for that night at the lighthouse when their lives changed forever. What happened to cleave her apart from her best friend and soulmate, Kase? Sylvie yearns to rekindle their deep connection, so when Kase invites her to the wild Tasmanian coast to celebrate her 40th birthday, she accepts - despite the ghosts she must face. As Sylvie struggles to find her feet among old friends, she bonds with local taxi boat driver Holden. But he is hiding from the world, too. Through an inscription in an old book, Sylvie and Kase discover their mothers have a history, hidden from their daughters. As they unpick what took place before they were born, they're forced to face the rift in their own friendship, and the question of whether it's ever okay to keep a secret to protect the person you love. Vanessa McCausland's enthralling new novel is about betrayal and forgiveness, the stories we tell, and the healing power of words. 'This evocative novel completely captivated me and I didn't want it to end. Vanessa McCausland is a remarkable storyteller.' Petronella McGovern 'Vanessa McCausland doesn't disappoint! Lyrical and evocative, the trauma and emotion rises off the pages along with the salt spray and the haunting cries of the eagles.' Fiona Lowe 'McCausland's poetic writing makes the heart sing. Graceful and glorious.' Alexandra Joel 'Reading a Vanessa McCausland book is like indulging in fine dark chocolate - her writing is decadent, dark, complex and luxurious. In this book she takes her lyricism to a new level, reveling in the power of words and stories to both heal and harm.' Cassie Hamer 'Rich with atmosphere and moral conflicts, The Beautiful Words sensitively explores the intricacies of two generations bound by secrets, with McCausland's trademark, hauntingly lyrical prose. It's a gifted storyteller that keeps me up way past my bedtime, but once again, I found myself unable to put Vanessa McCausland's novel down.' Maya Linnell 'Intriguing ... The Beautiful Words is a compelling story in a uniquely Australian setting for fans of Hannah Richell or Emily Bitto.' Books + Publishing 'Breathtaking ... Rich with atmosphere and written in haunting, melodic prose, The Beautiful Words is a powerful and timely work of fiction that celebrates the importance of female friendship and women's voices. Ultimately, though, it is a tale of healing, and a love letter to words and the power of storytelling.' Better Reading 'A clever and wonderful book' Herald Sun

Beautiful Words is a collection of poems I have written over the past ten years. My poems are designed to put a smile on the faces of readers. I hope my poems cause readers to imagine something wonderfully different,if only for brief moments. I was always encouraged to publish my poems by many who read them. After realizing I had written a substantial number of poems I decided to publish this book. With encouragement and support from family and friends, I continue to write and hope all my readers enjoy my work.

BEUATIFUL WORDS TO PONDER The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit and they are life. ~ Jesus of Nazareth ~ Though little, the master word looms large in meaning. It is the open sesame to every portal, the great equalizer, the philosophers stone which transmutes all base metal of humanity in gold. The stupid it will make bright, the bright brilliant, and the brilliant steady .. The master word is WORK. ~ William Osler ~ We live in a changing world, but only in an external sense. Environment and mental processes change, but there is something deep in the heart of man that defies the touch of time, a place where changes seldom come, if at all. There are to be found from age to age about the same hopes, fears, temptations, desires and motives; the same struggles with life and death, sin and shame, tragedy and grief, adversity and misfortune; the same eternal quests for God, truth, goodness and immortality. ~ Cordie J. Culp ~ Man, in his changing world, struggles to understand the unchanging God. Man would struggle less if he read the Bible more. Man has always been in the heart of God. The worlds task is to bring God into the heart of man. ~ Joseph M. Waterman ~ In time of quietness we have a chance to rest, an opportunity to evaluate life more properly, to develop a sympathy for others. We learn that the whole world can keep going without us and that gives us a wholesome sense of humility ~ Charles Allen ~.

This book explores what is beautiful in English words by looking closely at the 100 loveliest of them selected by Dr. Robert Beard, formerly Dr. Language at yourDictionary.com and currently Dr. Goodword at alphaDictionary.com. The book begins with an essay on what makes words beautiful and a background essay on the relationships between European and Indian languages. This is followed by essays that examine the pronunciation, meaning, usage, and history of words like cynosure, desultory, ephemeral, gambol, petrichor, serendipity, and Susquehanna. Each word is accompanied by creative examples featuring Beard's regular cast of characters, including Natalie Cladd, Maude Lynn Dresser, Gilda Lilly and the twins, Rita and Rhoda Book.