The Wonder of Whiffling and Other Extraordinary Words in the English Language,

by Adam Jacot de Boino, Penguin, 244 pages, $35.

This is one of those gimmicky books that no one needs but many of us just love to own. It's a tidy little hardback tome, one you'll find admirers flipping through in a bookshop, giggling at the little insights into irrelevancies and not being able to resist the purchase.

The Wonder of Whiffling comes hard on the heels of The Meaning of Tingo by the same author, and is another product of his hunt for exotic words from all over the world. There are interesting, odd words, intriguing beauties, and just plain silly words – starp (to walk with long strides), croggie (to ride on the crossbar of another's bicycle), popnoddle (a somersault).

They come from history and contemporary niches, and include the colloquialisms of times past and places specific or peculiar. Despite having no depth of detail, and no information (except a date) about the word's origins or use, the lists have a quirky entertainment value.

In the 17th century, a whiffler was a smoker of tobacco. In the underworld slang of Victorian times, it was one who cried in pain. P G Wodehouse would have called you a whiffler if you'd had too many of Jeeves' cocktails.

These are lists of words, mostly, rather than phrases, and the chapter headers are just as bizarre: Clatterfarts and Jaisies – Getting Acquainted; Crambazzled – Drink; Muttoners and Golden Ferrets – Sport. A favourite is Mush Fakers and Applesquires – The World of Work. One more: floccinaucinihilipilification (1741) – the categorising of something useless or trivial. Enough, enough! Buy it, read it, and have fun.

• Jessica Le Bas is a teacher, writer and poet from Richmond.

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