Andrew Delahunty, Sheila Dignen and Penny Stock: The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions

By GILBERT WONG

Allusions provide us shorthand examples of qualities or emotions. So we are mad as a hatter because of the character from Alice in Wonderland and because 19th-century hat-makers were bonkers because they suffered from mercury poisoning.

Any reference work that manages to put Darth Vader next to Cruella de Vil (under evil) has my vote for fun and serendipity. Though some of the explanations could have been more thorough I will be reaching for this guide when, like the white rabbit, I have no time to waste and only an allusion will do.

Oxford University Press

$65