The Superior Person's Book of Words

My (online and real-life) friend Rae of Powerful Women Readers shared a fabulous book with me in June, The Superior Person's Second Book of Weird & Wondrous Words by Peter Bowler, and I enjoyed it so much I immediately wrote a blog post about it and sought out a copy of the first book.

I'm delighted to reveal that The Superior Person's Book of Words is just as delightfully snarky as the second book. Here are a couple of my favorite words.

How about this word? It's truly wondrous.

QUIDDITY n. The essence of something; literally, its whatness. One might say that the quiddity of a quiddity is its quirkish, quizzical, quibbling quaintness.

We all know someone like this, don't we?

SATRAP n. A petty or subordinate ruler with despotic powers within his own realm. An assistant principal, bus driver, motor-vehicle inspector, or headwaiter.

How about this one?

KEDOGENOUS adj. Brought about by worry, or anxiety. Useful for excuses. “I'm awfully sorry, darling, but I'm afraid I seem to have another of my kedogenous headaches.”

And there are illustrations sprinkled throughout the book. Okay, one more.




And now I need to pass along this book to Rae, don't you think?

I wonder if there's a third book...