SUSAN BEINART

Ah, the lure of a good rhyme. So many of us are seeped in them. A baby in a treetop, Georgie Porgie, the little boy blue. Who among us hasn’t recited Ring a Ring O’Roses along with childhood friends, and then to our children? And wondered why we all fall down when it ends. Well, wonder no more! Real British history most likely related to these rhymes can be found on these pages.
Whether we are history buffs or not, Ackroyd’s Rhyme and Reason is a great book to consult at length or even just to skim through. It would be a valuable addition to any school library. All of our favourite nursery rhymes (20 in total) are found and explained here. That these evergreen rhymes are meticulously researched and practically presented to show their likely historical origins is genius. Ackroyd points out that our ancestors may have expressed certain political and social events in childish rhyme forms in order to communicate them without fear.
And what of Ring a Ring O’Roses? Why do we all fall down? Ackroyd informs that the rhyme may express the fear of death prevalent in plague-riddled Britain during centuries past.
I give five stars to Ackroyd’s Rhyme and Reason, a book to dip into for sheer enjoyment as well as for the pure joy of special knowledge to be gained.

LINDA MABBOTT

I have really enjoyed reading the history behind the many rhymes that we recited in our childhood without ever really understanding the true meaning behind them. I have found myself humming along and then singing the whole rhyme out loud not realizing that I had remembered the words. It has been enchanting and I have found myself wishing if only I could have shared this little gem with my dear late mother, she would have been fascinated with the deep meaning and history behind the innocent nursery rhymes. The research into the background of each rhyme is truly remarkable. I will look forward to seeing a second book.

MARILYN GALLOWAY

An enjoyable little volume packed with intriguing, well-researched information on the rhymes of my childhood, which were passed down to my children and grandchildren, as was done in ancient times past. Thankfully, for this book, it is not to be lost in the realms of modern life.

JAMES MILLSOP

I am happy and honoured to tell you all that the manager of the company who was responsible for selling our boat bought the book Rhyme and Reason and really liked it. The manager posted a YouTube video and mentioned the book in there with praise. You can watch the video here.

Rhyme and Reasonis a revelation of the hidden history behind 20 nursery rhymes that we know and love. It shows how they reflect the political and social conflicts of their times, from the medieval to the Georgian eras. It also explains the meanings and origins of the characters and phrases in the rhymes.

Mark McGrouther

Before reading Rhyme and Reason, I had little appreciation of the meanings behind some of our well-known English nursery rhymes. Who were the three blind mice, was Ring a Ring O’ Roses about the plague and was Humpty Dumpty really a siege machine? This delightful book dives into the meanings and history behind 20 nursery rhymes from the thirteenth to eighteenth centuries. I highly recommend it.