# Awkword Moments: A Lively Guide to the 100 Terms Smart People Should Know - Hardcover

by **Ross Petras** (Author), **Kathryn Petras** (Author)

**A compendium of 100 words and phrases smart people use--even if they only kinda sorta (secretly don't) know what they mean--with pithy definitions and fascinating etymologies to solidify their meanings.**

Your boss makes a joke about Schrodinger's cat--which is something you've heard of but you're a little vague about what exactly happened (or didn't happen) with that cat. Or you're reading a _New Yorker_ article that explains that "Solecism slipped into solipsism into full-blown narcissistic project." An excellent point . . . if you're sure what "solecism" means . . . or, for that matter, "solipsism."

Language gurus Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras to the rescue! In the breezy and entertaining yet informative style of their _New York Times_ bestseller _You're Saying It Wrong_, they give you a brief rundown on words smart people _should_ know--from the worlds of science and the arts to philosophy, and from broader topics like quantum physics and ontology to more specific ones like _Plato's cave_ and _trompe l'oeil_. They cover the Latin phrases we hear and read (_prima facie, sui generis_, and the like) as well as those that have entered our vocabularies from other languages (_bildungsroman, sturm und drang_).

These are the words that, if you were asked directly, "What does this mean?" you might hem and haw and try to change the subject. After reading this book, you won't have to.

### Author Biography

**Kathryn Petras** & **Ross Petras** are a sibling writing team with over 4.8 million copies of their work in print -- including popular "word nerd" books such as the _New York Times_ bestseller _You're Saying It Wrong_, _That Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means_, _Very Bad Poetry_, and, most recently, _Awkword Moments_. They do a podcast with NPR affiliate KMUW--kind of a Car Talk about words--called "You're Saying It Wrong." Their work has received the attention of, or has been featured in, diverse media outlets including the _New York Times_, _Chicago Tribune_, _Wall Street Journal_, _Cosmopolitan_, _Washington Post_, _Huffington Post_, _Bustle_, _Atlantic Monthly_, _London Times_, and _McSweeney's_. They have also been guests on hundreds of radio shows and tv shows, including _Good Morning America_, CNN, _Fox & Friends_, and NPR's _Here and Now_.

**Number of Pages:** 192

**Dimensions:** 0.8 x 7.1 x 5 IN

**Publication Date:** March 10, 2020

## Details

- **Price:** 14.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 14.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Awkword Moments: A Lively Guide to the 100 Terms Smart People Should Know - Hardcover

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