An Apple a Day

By Caroline Taggart

From the back of the book:

Proverbs—those colorful time-honored truths—have become part of our everyday language. But how often do we think about their origins and meanings? This unique collection of words to live by reveals the source of these timeworn expressions, which are as relevant today as they were when first coined generations ago. An Apple a Day provides the fun facts behind 200 proverbs.

Just my opinion:

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is nothing new to the folklore of many, many generations. From medieval times, an anonymous text recommended eating an apple a day, as did Ayurvedic medicine. Touted as a cure for headaches then, today we know about the fiber and antioxidants this delicious fruit provides.

As the title of the book, this proverb is just one of many interesting entries sure to delight and entertain the reader. I’ve read and reviewed several of the books in the Readers Digest Blackboard Books series and I’ve enjoyed every one of them, including this one. Well-written and fun to read, the books offer little tidbits of information.

In fact, An Apple a Day is probably one of my favorites. Other expressions I enjoyed learned about include “every little bit helps,” “still waters run deep,” “time flies when you’re having fun” and “a watched pot never boils.” Entries are in alphabetical order and there is also a handy index in the back, so the book will surely occupy a nice spot on my reference shelf.