The pedant's revolt

Pedants, revolt! In this irreverent, smart, obscenely entertaining book, Andrea Barham shatters the myths, misconceptions, fallacies, and falsehoods about all the things you thought you knew (and a few you never considered). Lead pencils can give you lead poisoning.� Newton discovered gravity when an apple fell on his head�.One dog year equals seven human years�.Marie Antoinette said �Let them eat cake!��Spelling Christmas �Xmas� is disrespectful�.Fact or fiction? The Pedant�s Revolt: Know What Know-It-Alls Know sets the record straight on everything from the truth about starving a fever to why you shouldn�t �go for the burn.� In chapters literary, medical, grammatical, historical, scientific, and biblical, you�ll discover the facts behind the fallacies that have somehow become accepted wisdom. From insects to food, grooming to Greeks, bumblebees to whales�from the animal kingdom to assassinations, Harpo Marx to Shakespeare, and questionable quotes such as �It�s all Greek to me,� this remarkable book reveals the often surprising origins of the legends and folklore we mistake for the gospel truth�and teaches you to think twice before repeating them.