Riddledom: 101 Riddles and Their Stories

Description

Why are ladies like arrows? When is a bird not a bird? What do you call a nun with a washing machine on her head? Welcome to the weird new word adventure from David Astle, plunging into the realm of riddles, chasing down and prising open 101 curious questions from around the planet. A mindtrip across time and place, Riddledom uncovers relics from over 50 cultures, delving into language and deception, sampling Pompeii walls and Dothraki warriors. Readers can unravel each mini-chapter, wrestling with riddles from Wonderland or Zanzibar, Oedipus Rex or Harry Potter. Come meet French acrobats, coffee slaves, lusty maids and many more along the way. Riddledom is your chance to roam Tasmania and Mongolia, Fiji and Peru, seeking riddles on clay tablets and Popsicle sticks. As David opens Riddledom: 'If you think riddles are solely the stuff of schoolyards and Christmas crackers, you're about to have your head refurbished.'

David Astle has written two novels and three non-fiction works. He is the Friday crossword setter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Playful... Witty and discursive. * The Saturday Age * So cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel. * Canberra Times *