Off the Shelf: I Didn’t Know That

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Stan Guthrie

Books that have caught my eye.

I Didn’t Know That: From “Ants in the Pants” to “Wet Behind the Ears” — The Unusual Origins of the Things We Say

By Karlen Evins

Every common expression has a history, and it’s often not what one would expect. I Didn’t Know That offers a lighthearted yet enlightening look at the unusual origins of hundreds of words and sayings that pepper our language. From “ants in the pants” (a questionable old English home remedy) to the “whole nine yards” (which has nothing to do with lengths of fabric), here are the surprising and often amusing stories behind the phrases we use every day.

Not at all a heavy read, but a fun one. I didn’t realize that this volume is so old, but you’ll find that it provides lots of fodder for fresh conversation in your family.

About Stan Guthrie

Stan Guthrie is an editor at large for Christianity Today magazine and for the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview. His latest book is God's Story in 66 Verses. He also is author of All that Jesus Asks: How His Questions Can Teach and Transform Us, Missions in the Third Millennium: 21 Key Trends for the 21st Century, and A Concise Guide to Bible Prophecy. He is co-author of The Sacrament of Evangelism. Besides authoring, writing, and editing books, Stan is a literary agent, bringing together good authors, good books, and good publishers. Stan writes the monthly Priorities colum for BreakPoint.org. He has appeared on National Public Radio's €œTell Me More,€ WGN's Milt Rosenberg program, and many Christian shows, including The Eric Metaxas Show and Moody Radio'€™s €œNew Day Florida.€ A licensed minister and an inspirational speaker, he served as moderator for the Christian Book Expo panel discussion, Does the God of Christianity Exist, and What Difference Does It Make?
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