Book of Jacks, The

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What’s in a name? Juliet doubted its importance in the matter of her Romeo, but we know what happened to them. Names are important. And first names particularly. People react to them even before meeting their bearers. Parents agonise over their choice. Children agonise over it, too. Small wonder when you remember the challenging time laid on by his dad for the boy named Sue. Jack, though. Always popular, it has become one of the most common names throughout the English-speaking world over the last 25 years, topping lists in most countries. But how much do all these new Jacks know about their name? Charles Nevin has explored history, folklore, legend and fiction to emerge with an enthralling list and lexicon of the world’s most remarkable Jacks, their potted profiles packed with interesting facts and gripping anecdotes. How did Jack the Ripper get his name? What was the secret of the success of Jack ‘Snuffy’ Tracy, music-hall trombonist and husband of Britain’s most renowned stripper, Phyllis Dixey? How did Jack Daniel, of bourbon fame, die? All the answers are contained in The Book of Jacks, a remarkable collection of larger-than-life hell-raisers, handfuls, heroes and relishable eccentrics.

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Charles Nevin is a journalist and humorist who has written for many publications, including The Guardian, The Independent and The Times. He is also the author of Lancashire, Where Women Die of Love.