The Insomniac's Dictionary: The Last Word On The Odd Word

by Paul Hellweg

Tired of counting sheep? Tired of counting the hours? Tired of seeing the same old words everywhere you look? THE INSOMNIAC'S DICTIONARY is a word lover's dream come true, an ideal bedside companion celebrating some of the most intriguing and entertaining facets of the English language. From clowder to crwth, from geep to greedigut, it'll stretch your vocabulary and make the hours fly by. Inside you'll find:
47 words about words
60 words about sleep, or the lack thereof
555 phobias
152 types of government
33 extremely long words, including one with 1,185 letters
139 two-digit words and 122 words without vowels, a word-game lover's delight
109 words about love, sex, and marriage
And much more, including a special section on 8 different types of wordplay...

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Language

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 1986

Reviews

[Marvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to write a disclaimer on this one. I know Paul well and was the one of the proofreaders on this book. So I'm not exactly unbiased. Yet I still think this is one of the most fun read you will ever find on the topic of strange words. You will find fascinating lists on the type of words you will love to throw out at parties or use to mystify (and possibly alienate) friends. Do you know a friend who has a fear of prostitutes? Inform him he has Cryrianophobia. Someone points out a group of eagles. Correct him and tell him it's not a group. It's a convocation of eagles. Did you know the Boysenberry is named after horticulturist Rudolf Boysen? If a government is run by fools, the correct term is foolocracy (and you thought it was called a congress!). The fun doesn't stop. Manias, acronyms, long words, obsolete words. You will find them here. This is one of my favorite books to browse when I'm bored. You will find this book entertaining and informative whether you are an insomiac or just plain curious about words.

[lyndsay ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

(sigh) Such is word porn and it is good.

[Gus Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. Great definitions of obscure words including the longest word that contains 1,185 letters for "Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Dahlemense Strain".

[Marcena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul is a dear friend so I may be a tad bias ;) being a fellow insomniac I must say that this is absolutely wonderful, I can learn new things and build my vocabulary on those frustrating long nights when sleep is nowhere to be found. It is packed full of unusual, lovely, and fascinating words. In my opinion it is a must have for any logophile (lover of words)! If I could give this more than five stars I would!