Was Little Jack Horner a squatter? Baa Baa Black Sheep a bleat about taxation? What did Jack and Jill do on that hill? Who was Mary? And why was ...
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May 03, 2008
David
rated it: 
This book, which explores the origin of some 40 familiar nursery rhymes, alternated between being fascinating and frustrating. Fascinating because of the unexpected nuggets of information it contains ('Tweedledum and Tweedledee' was based on a feud between Handel and another composer, Bononcini; 'Banbury Cross' was intended to mock the Puritans; 'Baa-baa black sheep' was an early complaint about taxes; 'Sing a song of sixpence' is about the first two wives of Henry VIII and the dissolution of th
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Feb 25, 2009
Jen
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Baa Baa Black Sheep was about taxation? What was Humpty Dumpty? Was Jack and Jill a cautionary tale about engaging in premarital sex? If you've ever wondered about the backstory of nursery rhymes, or if you are an avid Anglophile, this is the book for you. I am not an Anglophile, so I had difficulty at times following the King Philips, Williams, Edwards, Dukes, Earls, Archbishops etc, etc in some of the stories.
This kind of oral history that has been handed down all these years is More...
This kind of oral history that has been handed down all these years is More...
May 03, 2010
Brittany
rated it: 
How I Came To Read This Book: I obtained it from a used book sale.
The Plot: Chris Roberts takes dozens of the world's most infamous nursery rhymes and analyzes what the origin might have been behind them. The title refers to the fact that many nursery rhymes have shockingly perverse allusions buried in them - political, violent, and sexual references (apparently) abound. Each poem is given its own section, usually no longer than 2-4 pages, that looks into potential origins, other ve More...
The Plot: Chris Roberts takes dozens of the world's most infamous nursery rhymes and analyzes what the origin might have been behind them. The title refers to the fact that many nursery rhymes have shockingly perverse allusions buried in them - political, violent, and sexual references (apparently) abound. Each poem is given its own section, usually no longer than 2-4 pages, that looks into potential origins, other ve More...
Aug 03, 2009
Kathleen
rated it:
Not intended as a great scholarly tome, this book offers a few of the most plausible and interesting explanations of nursery rhymes. Many of these little ditties are actually in reference to members of the monarchy (Henry VIII and the other Tudors get a few, as do James I and James II). Apparently, if you can be decapitated for expressing dissent, disguising your message with friendly animals holds some sort of appeal. Roberts does his best to dissect these rhymes with historical context and
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Mar 22, 2010
Kristin
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I love the etymology of words. When I came across the book Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme by Chris Roberts I became very excited. A book that explains the meanings of nursery rhymes -- awesome! The concept of this book, especially as a new parent, is totally spot on. However, as I should have considered, the explanations might contain a bit of drudgery.
Thankfully, Roberts writing style emulates that of many of my favorite British comedians: John Cl More...
Thankfully, Roberts writing style emulates that of many of my favorite British comedians: John Cl More...
Jun 07, 2009
Genevieve
rated it:
I liked this book - quite a lot, actually. However, it suffered at times from what I'm interpreting as the author's excessive attempts at humor. Some of the problem may be my imperfect understanding of British context and colloquialisms... but sometimes, it really seemed like he was trying too hard. He also had a tendency to ramble tangentially, a habit which I share and will thus not hold against him. Thankfully, all of the tangents were fascinating! He didn't draw some conclusions that se
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Jan 20, 2010
The other Sandy
rated it:
It's a fairly amusing read, but I can't bring myself to believe a word of it. If I were writing a paper on the topic, I certainly wouldn't use this book as a reference. The author seems to have gone for the more titillating explanations for the rhymes rather than the historically accurate ones, and the only support he offers for his assertion that Jack Be Nimble is about pagan fertility rituals is that there's a similar scene in the 1973 film The Wicker Man (and he refers to Christopher Lee's ch
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Aug 25, 2010
Matthew
rated it: 
I've read this book twice and each time I get more out of it. It's not a heavy read by any means. The author gives short histories and references to the fairy tale/mother goose rhymes which are totally intellectually stimulating. The information packed into short snippets allows the reader to go out and do further research into the topic or be satisfied with the explanation given. It's clear and concise and leaves anyone interested in the history of fairy tales and such like where and who th
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Jan 08, 2008
Don
rated it:
When I showed up for a walking tour that was unexpectedly cancelled, but nevertheless purchased the collected One Eye Grey, Chris threw in this book as an additional apology and thanks. What a great guy! And since I've always loved learning the origins of words, phrases and stories - the stories behind the stories, as it were - this was madly appreciated.
The rhymes discussed within, and their meanings, are certainly fascinating; as many of their beginnings are lost to antiquity, it More...
The rhymes discussed within, and their meanings, are certainly fascinating; as many of their beginnings are lost to antiquity, it More...
Nov 19, 2007
Jennifer
rated it:
Firstly, the book is British. If you're not up on your British slang (heck, I didn't know what "rhyming slang" was), thankfully the American version of the book has a handy glossary of British slang, which should help when you're wondering what the heck a Millwall FC is.
Anyhow, the book basically takes several common nursery rhymes, and attempts to give a little bit of background on how they came about, or the story they tell. The forward explains it in acceptable and witty d More...
Anyhow, the book basically takes several common nursery rhymes, and attempts to give a little bit of background on how they came about, or the story they tell. The forward explains it in acceptable and witty d More...
Feb 12, 2011
Laurel
rated it: 
The language and pop-culture geek in me definitely gravitated toward this book. It's as much about these things and about history as it is about nursery rhymes, which makes it a fun blend for even the most ADD-afflicted reader. The author demonstrates himself to be a goofball (in addition to more or less admitting it), in appealing lighthearted comments and footnotes. P.S. You may not know as much about "Ring around the Rosy" as you thought you did!
Jun 04, 2010
Amanda
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I really loved reading this book. I've always been fascinated by childhood rhymes and the stories behind them. This is well written and down to the level, with some great jokes and quips thrown into every article for each new piece. I'd advise to anyone with even a passing fancy. It's a quick, fun, lighthearted to read write-up of as it says some pretty heavy stuff.
Dec 13, 2008
Cathy
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Having always been fascinated by words and well-known stories, I was immediately drawn to this book. Roberts offers interesting theories about the origins of many famous nursery ryhmes. Some are very British in origin and are not rhymes well-known in the US. Still, in reading about those, I found out some things I never learned in a European history course.
May 07, 2008
Ellee
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When I requested Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme by Chris Roberts, I confess that I was hoping for something a little more pithy. However, the book is very enjoyable and spends several pages discussing each rhyme, though some rhymes I think are more popular in the UK than here in the States. The glossary of UK slang words was very helpful (and entertaining). The most interesting thing about the book as a whole is the introduction of rhyming slang, in which the slang is th
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Dec 17, 2009
Sundry
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Very interesting and sometimes amusing book about the meanings behind English nursery rhymes. I also learned a few tidbits about English history that I didn’t know before. And Chris Roberts has a good sense of humor about his subject matter.
It gets a little dense with the English history sometimes, what with all the different monarchs there were to mock down through the ages. My scant education regarding English history probably didn’t help. Most of what I know about the subject is g More...
It gets a little dense with the English history sometimes, what with all the different monarchs there were to mock down through the ages. My scant education regarding English history probably didn’t help. Most of what I know about the subject is g More...
Jan 16, 2010
Alice
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A vastly entertaining, breezy read, covering the origins of nursery rhymes. The author has a tour company in London, so the book reads like a travelog through English history. Not a particulary scholarly work (originally published out of the guy's living room), but certainly opens your mind about hidden meanings.
Nov 28, 2011
Maria
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An intriguing look at the turbulent waters of British history -- through nursery rhymes. The innocent rhymes many of us sang in our youth are rich with meaning and adult issues of which most of us were blissfully oblivious. The verdict -- a good, light read. Especially good for people with short attention spans and/or not much reading time as each chapter is about five pages long at the most.
Oct 16, 2009
Horizon
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I found this to be quite fascinating. Though it was definitely written for a British audience, the author conveniently adds a glossary to help the American audience make sense of things. This sort of book shows that history doesn't have to be boring!
Oct 16, 2009
Thimbleberry
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I found this to be quite fascinating. Though it was definitely written for a British audience, the author conveniently adds a glossary to help the American audience make sense of things. This sort of book shows that history doesn't have to be boring!
Nov 24, 2008
Kelly
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A great read that tells you the story behind common Nursery rhymes. The rhymes we read to our children are not so childlike in origin! This was a unique and memorable baby shower gift from a dear friend and I would highly recommend it!
Oct 25, 2011
Kristi
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Explored the history and conspiracy theories of nursery rhymes with a heavy dose of British pop culture. Very entertaining read, with a convincing argument for football chants as the continuation of oral folk tradition.
Feb 02, 2012
Kirsten
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The author notes that this is more of a fun pursuit rather than a completely academic one. If that's what you're looking for you may be disappointed by this book. However, if you're looking for a fun look into the history and lore behind nursery rhymes, then you'll enjoy this. I did. It doesn't hurt that it's written by a good humored librarian who references The Smiths and Eddie Izzard.
Aug 01, 2011
Samantha
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A quick and interesting read. Wished it had been more in depth because it seemed oddly lacking in places and too tangental.
Jul 27, 2009
Kristen
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I really liked the premise of this book, but the writting was, well, a little heavy. Still some very interesting facts.
Dec 29, 2009
I really like the subjec, but want to know more about the covert political commentary than the book actually reveals.
Aug 13, 2009
Yay4bnl
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I think I'd have liked this book more if I were British, but the writing and research seemed a bit flimsy.
Dec 15, 2011
K
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I expected a lot more from this book. Not a hard read, just disappointing - would probably be more relevant to me if I knew more about British Rhymes.
Jul 26, 2011
2009- I think I would have liked this book better if I knew more about British history and humor.
Jan 25, 2009
Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme by Chris Roberts (2005)
Mar 15, 2008
Amy
rated it:
This is a very easy read, since each nursery rhyme is covered in a few pages, and the author has a wry sense of humor (he’s British). As a bonus, it is very entertaining to read the glossary, which contains definitions for all the British slang used in the narrative. For instance, apparently they might describe someone as “a few stops beyond barking,” which is roughly equivalent to a “few fries short of a happy meal” (or to stay closer to the actual words, it means someone is “barking mad”).
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