TOP 100 BOOK SITES
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| 'The Day the Falls Stood Still' captures the spirit of Niagara Cathy Marie Buchanan's debut novel is a paean to the Niagara River and its famous falls. rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Editors’ Choice Recently reviewed books of particular interest. feeds.nytimes.com |
Noughtyisms: the best words of the decade Here's a selection of my favourite neologisms of the last 10 years. Please add your ownAs a collector of words, here's my list of the best the decade had to offer, taken from my book, The Wonder of Whiffling. These words and expressions were all coined in particular parts of the world in specific years: they're principally slang and jargon; catching on, but still waiting to be formalised into our dictionaries.2000witches' knickers (Ireland) shopping bags caught in trees, flapping in the wind get corrugated ankles (UK campus) to get drunkglomp (US campus) to jump and hug someone from behind drink-link (UK campus) a cash dispenser 2001goat heaven (Caribbean) a state of unfettered freedom, enjoyment, indulgence evoking both bliss and excess2002cuddle puddle (New York) a heap of exhausted ravers trout pout (UK) the effects of collagen injections that produce prominent, comically oversized lips resembling those of a dead fish urbeach (US) an urban beach (a trend that began with the Paris Plage 2002)barbecue stopper (Australia) an issue of major public importance, which will excite the interest of voters2003smirting (New York) flirting between people who are smoking cigarettes outside a no-smoking building.meh (US, from "The Simpsons") boring, apathetic or unimpressive pumping party (Miami) illegal gatherings where plastic surgeons give back-street injections of silicone, botox etccroggie (UK schools) a ride of the crossbar or handlebars of another rider's bicycle 2004flairing (Sydney) the action of bartenders balancing, catching, flipping, spinning or throwing (bottles, glasses, napkins, straws) with finesse and styleglass ball environment (US intelligence) of the weather in Iraq being often conducive to collecting images from above sandwich generation (Canada) those caring for young children and elderly parents at the same time (usually "baby boomers" in their 40s or 50s)huburb (US) its own little city within another cityzhing-zhong (Zimbabwe) merchandise made in Asia; cheaply made, inexpensive or substandard goodswardrobing (US) buying an item and then returning it after wearing itspange (street talk) for "Spare change?" pudding ring (Florida) facial hair made up of a moustache and a goateeJ.Lo (Wall Street) the rounding bottom in a stock's price chart2005cougar (Canada) an older woman on the prowl, preferably for a younger man elevens the creases between one's eyebrows from squinting or frowningCalifornia licence plate (US) a tattoo on the lower back milkshaking (Kentucky) bicarbonate loading which slows fatigue in a horse Picasso porn (US) the scrambled signal of a pornographic cable channel as seen by a nonsubscriberFaye (UK) a bright light placed at eye level, in front of the performer, which helps to hide wrinkles (in honour of Faye Dunaway, who is said to always insist on one) fogging (UK) children showing minimal reaction to or agreeing with the taunts of a bully slippage (US) the percentage of people who get a cheque and forget to cash it set-jetter (UK) someone who goes on a holiday to a particular place simply because he's read about it or seen it in a film or on television swoop and squat (Washington) to drive and pull in front of another vehicle and slam on the brakes, deliberately causing an accident to collect the insurance money helicopter mom (US) a mother who micro-manages her children's lives and is perceived to be hovering over every stage of their developmentghost ridin (US) jumping out of a moving vehicle – usually stolen – and letting it smash into another car, home or business roider (US) someone who injects illegal steroids to enhance his body open the kimono (US) to expose or reveal secrets or proprietary informationnom de womb (US) a name used by an expectant parent to refer to their unborn childsequencing (US) delaying your career until your children are in school goose father a father who lives alone having sent his spouse and children to a foreign country to learn English or do some other form of advanced study twixters (US) fully-grown men and women who still live with their parents dog-whistle politics (Australia) to present your message so that only your supporters hear it properlydoughnuting (UK) a carefully created seating plan which places an ideal group of MPs (women, photogenic, ethnic minority etc) around a leader for the ideal television shot 2006ant hill family (UK) the trend whereby children move back in with their parents so that all work together towards group financial goalsNew York rain (Hong Kong) water that drips annoyingly from air-conditioners onto passers-by chair plug (2006) someone who sits in a meeting but contributes nothingbanana fold (North Carolina) fat below the buttocks chubb (North Carolina) fat around the kneecapshail damage (Minnesota) cellulite (from its pitted appearance being similar to the effects of hail)throw a series of notes (Illinois) to perform a back handspring with no handsblack spider memo (UK) notes, mostly hand-written, in which Prince Charles enthusiastically details his beliefs on particular political topicsrubber arms (California) surfers who turn to catch a wave, making all the paddling movements, but never really go anywherepush present (US) an expensive gift given to a woman by her husband in appreciation for having recently given birthHarry Potter a poker hand containing a Jack and a King (after JK Rowling)Anna Kournikova when an Ace and King are held (allegedly so called because it looks a good hand but in fact rarely wins anything)flashpackers (Australia) intrepid, but comfortably-off travellers glamping (UK) glamorous camping (prompted in part by celebrity-studded festivals like Glastonbury) 2007menoporsche (UK) the phenomenon of middle-aged men attempting to recapture their lost youth by buying an expensive sports cargate fever (UK) terror at the prospect of release from prisonhippo's tooth (US) a cement bollardfox hole (UK) the area beneath desk where telephone calls can take place peacefully puddle (US) a heap of clothing an actor steps into and is quickly zipped inside during one of those split-second costume changes that dazzle audiences2008goldfishing (UK) one politician talking inaudibly in an interview (you can see his lips move but only hear the reporter's words)twuncing (UK) when walkers drive two cars to the end point of their walk, and then ride together in one car to the starting point; after the walk they drive together to the starting point to collect the other vehicle shock and hee-haw (US) explosive devices under satchels on donkeys ham (UK) legitimate email messages (as opposed to "spam")mattressing (UK) the term used by other traders and bank managers to hide their results flusher (US) a volunteer who rounds up non-voters on Election Day2009generica (US) features of the American landscape (strip malls, motel chains, prefab housing) that are exactly the same no matter where one iscatch a falling knife to buy a stock as its price is going down, in hopes that it will go back up, only to have it continue to fallWords and languageReference and languagesAdam Jacot de Boinodguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds feeds.guardian.co.uk |
Warren Beatty slept with 12,775 women, claims biographer Hollywood star's sexual conquests said to have included Isabelle Adjani, Diane Keaton and MadonnaIt may not be one of the great remaining mysteries, on a par with the nature of dark matter or the origins of the universe, but the question of how many women Warren Beatty, 72, has slept with certainly seems to have got New York's media-land in a froth.Peter Biskind, Beatty's new biographer, estimates that the famously seductive star of Bonnie and Clyde and Reds has notched up 12,775 sexual conquests, including Isabelle Adjani, Diane Keaton and Madonna. If true, that is impressive. Don Giovanni could only claim a lacklustre 2,065, according to Mozart's librettist, Lorenzo Da Ponte.Biskind writes in his book, Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America, that he arrived at the figure by "simple arithmetic". He appears to have worked out the number of days between Beatty losing his virginity at 19 and the date in 1991 when he met Annette Bening on the set of Bugsy and fell into monogamy, and applied the questionable logic that during that entire period Beatty slept with an average of one woman a day. Biskind, an accomplished writer on Hollywood and author of Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, adds that for these purposes he ruled out "daytime quickies, drive-bys, casual gropings, stolen kisses and so on".The exercise may not gain Biskind honorary membership of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, but it has generated considerable publicity.An account in the New York Post, headlined "Sexy tell-all jumps into Beatty's bed", bills the book as an authorised biography. However, even its publisher, Simon & Schuster, makes no reference to Beatty having co-operated with the author.Beatty's lawyer, Bertram Fields, told the Huffington Post that Biskind's "tedious book was not authorised by Mr Beatty". He accused Biskind of writing "many false assertions" and of quoting Beatty "saying things he never said".According to the Post's account, such quotations include Beatty telling Biskind of Jane Fonda – who apparently initially thought he was gay: "Oh, my God. We kissed until we had practically eaten each other's heads off."Joan Collins allegedly stumbled exhausted out of bed after a session with Beatty exclaiming: "I don't think I can last much longer. He never stops – it must be all those vitamins he takes."Warren BeattyUnited StatesEd Pilkingtonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds feeds.guardian.co.uk |
Laura Chapman Hruska, Co-founder of Soho Press, Dies at 74 Ms. Hruska was a co-founder and the editor in chief of Soho Press, an independent book publisher that specializes in literary fiction and exotic crime stories. feeds.nytimes.com |