This book is the first place to turn when you encounter a Britishism or Americanism. The dictionary illuminates differences in vocabulary, usage, pronunciation, spelling, and the history of English, how and why differences arose, and what those differences are. More then 2,500 entries are listed on each side with a set of tables that includes national holidays, presidents, kings and queens, and money. The dictionary is an easy-to-read, light-hearted, and sometimes irreverent catalogue of the difference between American and British English. With a tone that is deliberately informal, much of the intrinsic humor shines through, but never at the cost of accuracy or detail.

Jeremy Smith grew up in southeast England, went to the kinds of schools now depicted in movies, and graduated as a botanist from London in 1976. He migrated to California, began life as a computer professional, and avoided being in movies. His hobbies include global travel, artificial life, and going to the movies.