The Word I'm Thinking Of: A Devilish Dictionary of Difficult Words

by Michael Gates

Absquatulate. Flumadiddle. Gongoozler. Squintifego. If you love words, you know the strange byways of memory or reverie that stumbling across a certain word or phrase will take you down, especially if it's one you're discovering and finding the meaning of for the first time. Chances are, you have never encountered words as unusual as those collected in this audiobook.

You'll find definitions and parts of speech for each entry. And for each word, the author has also included a quotation to show how the word can be used in context. His hope is that this book will spark interest in these ostrobogulous words and that you will use them in your daily conversations - perhaps as a humorous social-science experiment to see what kinds of reactions you receive. Amaze your friends with your selcouth vocabulary and indulge your inner logophile!

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing, Amazon, Audiobook

6 pages, Audible Audio

First published May 5, 2013

About the author

Michael Gates is a logophile, a professional copy editor, and a compulsive blogger (at michaelgates.blogspot.com). He grew up in the wilds of upstate New York and now lives the high life in the Heights section of Jersey City, New Jersey, with his wife and son. He has written and published non-fiction and poetry, but most of his current literary efforts bend in the direction of short-short stories, also known as microfiction (mike-rofiction?). The Word I'm Thinking Of is his first book. He is also the author of "The Iron Box", a short noir thriller available on Amazon and Audible.

Reviews

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never thought about listening to the dictionary for fun. This is rather like that but with SAT type words. So many wonderful words, not sure they all stuck. I may have to listen a few more times!

I love words, total word nerd here!! This is fabulous fun with unique words that you do not encounter on a regular basis.

You are given the definition for each word and then they are used in example sentences or situations. These were rather fun in their own rights. It was definitely a great way to keep the reader engaged in something that is not typically entertaining.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jack Chekjian, who was terrific. It is quite a challenging reading a list of words and definitions, while keeping it interesting. He has nice tone that keeps you engaged throughout. I do not recommend one sitting for the listen, but rather doing sections at a time. He has a very pleasing voice and adds energy to the potentially dry material.

I really enjoyed this and might pick up he print version of this just to highlight a few of my favorite words. I can also imagine using this as my own word a day challenge.

Disclosure – I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts opinions and ratings are my own.

*** If you found this review at all helpful, please take a moment to let me know. I love reading and sharing my opinions with other readers. I listen at double speed, all my impressions of the narration are from that setting. Thanks for taking the time to read my review! You can see more audiobook reviews on my blog www.eargasmsaudiobookreviews.com ***

[Grampy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Word I’m Thinking Of” by Michael Gates is a foudroyant, often gelastic lexicography of polysyllabic perspicacity. I don’t wish to obnubilate, nor do I want to be rebarbative, but “The Word I’m Thinking Of” will remedy your hebetudinous nescience, allowing you to be the sciolist your Mother always thought you should be.

Allow me to enucleate. Michael Gates is no blatherskite. Au contraire, Mon ami. Nor does he bloviate like a common blatteroon. And “The Word I’m Thinking Of” is neither gasconade nor glaikery. No longer will you feel threatened by an invidious, gormless gowk or peccant killcow. This luciferous tome will help you peregrinate from stultiloquence to puissance in short order.

Do not think I am ultracrepidarian, or spouting ugsome tushery. Nor am I a mendacious makebate. If ataraxia is your goal, “The Word I’m Thinking Of” provides an anfractuous desideratum. I recommend it for your personal edification, or just for jocularity. Eschew obfuscation!Kthxbye.

[Yaaresse · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was fun.

I was hoping for more etymology, but it was still a lot of fun. Kakistocracy may be just the word we've been missing to describe recent events. And I can now throw insults at certain politicians without resorting to sounding as inarticulate and vapidly profane as he does ...er...(cough) as they do.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read / listened to this book in audio format via audible.com. I always choose audio books first as the narrators tend to breath life into the stories. Audio books also allows us to read hands free and still get daily things done such as driving, working, walking, cleaning house and so on...

***I was gifted this book in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. ***

This book has a ton of BIG words I have never heard of, but they are used in humorous ways. The words (most of them) sound so silly, it made me think they were making them up. Even though I didn't understand the words totally, each word was described and explained in simple ways. 5 minutes later I couldn't tell you what words were even used BUT I will say this... I sure had fun listening to it all.

This book would be an awesome gift for the brainiacs out there and for the people who know it all (not saying in a mean way). I think the genius's and the normal people alike would get a kick out of this book!

The author, Michael Gates sure is smart to even come up with all these words. I bow to you! You found a way to make me think and laugh at the same time. I even wonder if I couldn't learn these words if I did 1 a day. The narrator, Jack Chekijian, I take my hat off to you. You read that entire book without goofing it up! How you were able to pronounce all those words is beyond me! Kudos to you both for such a fine job and for totally entertaining me too!

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already get the daily emails from the OED and Anu Garg's Wordsmith, but this is ever so much more fun! You not only get to hear the word, but the context as well, followed by a bit of digression related to each word. I'm sure that the visual copy is fun, too, but Narrator Jack adds so much! With Jack, you can be assured that the pronunciations are correct, and there is enough quirk added to the definitions and digressions to compound the enjoyment of learning.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review

[Delta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I love a funny non-fiction book. And this book brings the funny with its list of rarely used words. The thing I want to know is, who thought it was a good idea to make an audio version? You are literally listening to someone read a dictionary! Almost none of the words stuck, but it was a really good listen. I might get the written version for my mother.

[Deedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun read narrated nicely by Jack Chekijian.What words do you use,is there a more grandeloquent word that could be substituted?This book has many to choose from!
I was given this book free for an honest review.

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dazzling!