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"Mr Jack has been nimble and he's been quick, searching through the history of nursery rhymes and he's found out all kind of plum tales, just like little Jack Horner. He's unearthed the answers to some very curious questions ... Who were Mary Quite Contrary and Georgie Porgie? How could Hey Diddle Diddle offer an essential astronomy lesson? And if Ring a Ring a Roses isn't about catching the plague, then, what is it really about? The ingenious book delves into the hidden meanings of the nursery rhymes and songs we all know so well and discovers all kinds of strange tales ranging from Viking raids to firewalking and from political rebellion to slaves being smuggled to freedom. Children have always played at being grown up and all kinds of episodes in our history are still being re-enacted today in a series of dark games ("Oranges and Lemons" traces a condemned man's journey across London to his execution, "Goosie Gander" is about dragging a hidden Catholic priest to prison). And there are many many more ... Full of vivid illustrations and with each verse reproduced, here are a multitude of surprising stories you won't be able to resist passing on to everyone you know. Your childhood songs and rhymes will never sound the same again."
"Mr Jack has been nimble and he's been quick, searching through the history of nursery rhymes and he's found out all kind of plum tales, just like little Jack Horner. He's unearthed the answers to some very curious questions...Who were Mary Quite Contrary and Georgie Porgie? How could Hey Diddle Diddle offer an essential astronomy lesson? And if Ring a Ring a Roses isn't about catching the plague, then, what is it really about? The ingenious book delves into the hidden meanings of the nursery rhymes and songs we all know so well and discovers all kinds of strange tales ranging from Viking raids to firewalking and from political rebellion to slaves being smuggled to freedom.Children have always played at being grown up and all kinds of episodes in our history are still being re-enacted today in a series of dark games ("Oranges and Lemons" traces a condemned man's journey across London to his execution, "Goosie Gander" is about dragging a hidden Catholic priest to prison). And there are many many more...Full of vivid illustrations and with each verse reproduced, here are a multitude of surprising stories you won't be able to resist passing on to everyone you know. Your childhood songs and rhymes will never sound the same again."
"Examines the truth behind the meanings of popular nursery rhymes, identifying characters like Mary Quite Contrary, Georgie Porgie and Jack and Jill, and explores the events that inspired them, from Viking raids to slave smuggling."
"From the international bestselling author of Red Herrings and White Elephants'a curious guide to the hidden histories of classic nursery rhymes. Who was Mary Quite Contrary, or Georgie Porgie' How could Hey Diddle Diddle offer an essential astronomy lesson' Do Jack and Jill actually represent the execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette' And if Ring Around the Rosie isn't about the plague, then what is it really about' This book is a quirky, curious, and sometimes sordid look at the truth behind popular nursery rhymes that uncovers the strange tales that inspired them'from Viking raids to political insurrection to smuggling slaves to freedom. Read Albert Jack's posts on the Penguin Blog."@en