Seasons greetings! And we can't think of anything more festive or merry-making than this glorious conversation with lexicographer, author and podcaster Susie Dent! As well as writing many books on words and language, with the latest being the brilliant An Emotional Dictionary, Susie resides in Dictionary Corner on Countdown and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and hosts the podcast Something Rhymes With Purple with Gyles Brandreth. We talked to her about tricky words in Dickens, the perils of reading your own audio books, the wonder of swearing and her favourite book to give as a gift. Find out more about the books mentioned on the episode by visiting our bookshop.org shop. Sign up for the You're Booked newsletter by heading to: FurtherReading.Substack.comBOOKSDale Shaw - Painfully British HaikusSusie Dent - An Emotional DictionaryCharles Dickens - Our Mutual FriendCharles Dickens - Bleak HouseTwice Upon a Time: Susie DentNoel Streatfeild - Thursday's ChildNoel Streatfeild - Ballet ShoesFrances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret GardenFrancis Grose - The Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar TongueSamuel Johnson - Johnson's DictionaryMichele Obama - BecomingElizabeth Jane Howard - Mr WrongDaisy Buchanan - CareeringDH Lawrence - Sons and LoversDH Lawrence - Short StoriesDH Lawrence - Lady Chatterley's LoverJilly Cooper - HarrietStephen Sondheim - Finishing the HatLouis Macneice - Autumn JournalChristina Rossetti - Artists StudioMary Oliver - Collected PoemsLucy Ellmann - Ducks, NewburyportGyles Brandreth - Dancing By the Light of the MoonSam West - Pandemic PoemsZadie Smith - Feel FreeAnne Lamott - Almost EverythingGyles Brandreth - Elizabeth: An Intimate PortraitAlain-Fournier - La Grand MeaulnesJulian Barnes - Le Grand Meaulnes RevisitedJulian Barnes - Flaubert's Parrot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.