A clever, wryly amusing look at the way in which our everyday language reflects the enormous social changes that have occurred in physical world and emotional landscape over the last fifty or so years Written by word meister Ruth Wajnryb.

Contents: 1. The hospice -- Pt. I. As the Pace Quickens -- 2. Cheerio -- 3. Peopled phrases -- 4. Darn -- 5. Tinker -- 6. Hobby -- 7. Steady -- Pt. II. Old Ways, Old Language -- 8. Jalopy -- 9. Handkerchief -- 10. Hats -- 11. Mercers -- 12. Nongs and yobbos -- Pt. III. Quainteries Eschewed -- 13. Waxing lyrical -- 14. Fixed rejoinders -- 15. Doubling up -- 16. As easy as -- 17. Useful tits -- 18. Cockney code -- 19. Odds and sods -- Pt. IV. Victims of Modern Candour -- 20. Nudge nudge -- 21. The fall -- 22. Oblique -- 23. Consumption, hysteria, ticker and coming out -- 24. Black dog -- 25. Bad -- Pt. V. A New Century with Its Own Sensibilities -- 26. Body bits -- 27. Mad -- 28. Stupid -- 29. Ought -- 30. Honey -- 31. Fortitude -- 32. Modesty -- Pt. VI. The Past Is Dead, Long Live the Future -- 33. Doing food -- 34. Historical artifacts -- 35. Dog days -- 36. Retronyms.

Bibliography: p. 261-264.

Webliography: p. 246.