Whimwondery is the academic study of the magickal properties of elemental curiosity and its two sub-particles – whimsy and wonder. For, as perhaps you have felt yourself deep down in your gizzards, in every spark of curiosity, every maddening ponderation, every look of bafflement and inquisitive squint, is power beyond reckoning. Though not, as has been discovered, entirely beyond the capacities of our imaginations. Indeed, as we have sought to know more about Whimwondery, we have slowly stumbled upon its useful, worthy, and practical applications for solving vexsome sundry irks and problems which arouse particular and general bother - from cold custard to the meaning of the universe. This alphabetarium includes a smattering of such curious contraptions from Agatha Aspinal’s auspicious 'Archaeofuturometer', to Zarushaddai Zirdlestone’s zooshing 'Zenithender'. Though a mere sampling of some of the inventions devised to channel whimwondrous phenomena they are sure to delight and amuse all whom you would care to furnish with such an odd and uncategorisable tome (in no particular order): acquaintances, friends, friends-of-friends, jilted-lovers, distant relations, neighbours, academical colleagues, drinking-pals, the local parson, your mother and other assorted personages. A splendid gift for all of them, most assuredly!

Daniel has an MPhil in World History and a PhD in History. He is now Emma Experience Director and Bye-Fellow at Emmanuel College.