What do you think?
Rate this book
The Superior Person's Book of Words #2
The Superior Person's Second Book of Words
Do you ever feel like an acephalous dandiprat? Want to animadvert with anfractuous brimborions? Have you ever simply felt unable to dapatically deblaterate to the best of your ability? Then here is the book for you!
The six hundred new words included are just as outlandish (and useful) as the five hundred in the previous volume. Regrettably, there are people out there who will want to buy this book for the worst possible reasons - to inflate their self-esteem, to humiliate their friends and relatives, to complete their collection of Bowlerania. To whom we say: Why not buy three copies? To those other, nobler spirits who seek nothing but elevation and instruction in these pages - for you we have nothing but admiration.
The six hundred new words included are just as outlandish (and useful) as the five hundred in the previous volume. Regrettably, there are people out there who will want to buy this book for the worst possible reasons - to inflate their self-esteem, to humiliate their friends and relatives, to complete their collection of Bowlerania. To whom we say: Why not buy three copies? To those other, nobler spirits who seek nothing but elevation and instruction in these pages - for you we have nothing but admiration.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1992
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 26, 2021
My friend, Rae, gave The Superior Person's Second Book of Weird & Wondrous Words to me, and I spent a day reading through it, and I loved it so much that I looked up book one on Amazon and ordered it the same day.
It's a book of words, presented with a short definition and used in a sentence. It's snarky, to be sure. Here's a couple of example:
HESTERNOPOTHIA n. A pathological yearning for the good old days. You know---when World War II was in full swing, your children got diphtheria, and dentists used slow drills and no anesthetic.
JUMENTOUS a. Pertaining to the smell of horse urine. So says the dictionary. But what could possibly be pertaining to the smell of horse urine? And how could it so pertain? Is this word really necessary?
Fun, right?
Besides just enjoying reading all the weird & wondrous words and reading the odd ways the author used them in a sentence, I ran across words I would actually like to add to my vocabulary:
KALOKAGATHIA n. A condition or state in which the good and the beautiful are combined. Wouldn't that be helpful? If you saw something beautiful and knew it was also good? Like The Good Witch of the North in Wizard of Oz?
EUMOIROUS a. Lucky or happy as a result of being good. Which, had I been in charge of creating the universe, would always happen.
EPISTEMOPHILIA n. An abnormal preoccupation with knowledge. I might have just a touch of this.
CATACHRESIS n. Misapplication of a word. Never. That I will admit.
QUADDLE v. To grumble. Quaddling sounds so much better than grumbling.
WITZELSUCHT n. An emotional state characterized by futile attempts at humor. I've seen this so many times. It's so futile. And it's hard to watch. Will I remember the proper name for this behavior the next time I see it? Unlikely.
Finally, I leave you with:
SAXICOLOUS. a. Living or growing among rocks. Guys, my husband has been a rock collector since he was a little boy. He has an entire shop filled with rocks. Since I learned this word I have delighted in telling him how happy I am that I am married to a saxicolous man. Saxicolous. Such a great word.
It's a book of words, presented with a short definition and used in a sentence. It's snarky, to be sure. Here's a couple of example:
HESTERNOPOTHIA n. A pathological yearning for the good old days. You know---when World War II was in full swing, your children got diphtheria, and dentists used slow drills and no anesthetic.
JUMENTOUS a. Pertaining to the smell of horse urine. So says the dictionary. But what could possibly be pertaining to the smell of horse urine? And how could it so pertain? Is this word really necessary?
Fun, right?
Besides just enjoying reading all the weird & wondrous words and reading the odd ways the author used them in a sentence, I ran across words I would actually like to add to my vocabulary:
KALOKAGATHIA n. A condition or state in which the good and the beautiful are combined. Wouldn't that be helpful? If you saw something beautiful and knew it was also good? Like The Good Witch of the North in Wizard of Oz?
EUMOIROUS a. Lucky or happy as a result of being good. Which, had I been in charge of creating the universe, would always happen.
EPISTEMOPHILIA n. An abnormal preoccupation with knowledge. I might have just a touch of this.
CATACHRESIS n. Misapplication of a word. Never. That I will admit.
QUADDLE v. To grumble. Quaddling sounds so much better than grumbling.
WITZELSUCHT n. An emotional state characterized by futile attempts at humor. I've seen this so many times. It's so futile. And it's hard to watch. Will I remember the proper name for this behavior the next time I see it? Unlikely.
Finally, I leave you with:
SAXICOLOUS. a. Living or growing among rocks. Guys, my husband has been a rock collector since he was a little boy. He has an entire shop filled with rocks. Since I learned this word I have delighted in telling him how happy I am that I am married to a saxicolous man. Saxicolous. Such a great word.
June 4, 2025
3.5 Quite enjoyably laugh out loud over some of the word definitions and too much time spent on trying to pronounce some of the words themselves. I would need to carry the book with me all the time in order to use anything here in a sentence :)
December 15, 2024
Very entertaining. Lots of interesting words. Good book to have on standby if you need some different words to use.
June 27, 2019
Having read the first book in this trio of nonsensical definitions, I was gifted with the second one. I enjoyed it just as much because of the author's weird sense of humor and his ability to create laughable situations to shut the mouths of people who think they are smarter than their peers. Few of these words will make it into my daily vocabulary and a few definitions are a bit off color, but Bowler's ability to suggestion an understandable occasion for using many of his words is quite a fete.
His brief list of sources adds a bit of authenticity to his definitions, but I doubt I will be able to recall any of them when they might come in handy.
His brief list of sources adds a bit of authenticity to his definitions, but I doubt I will be able to recall any of them when they might come in handy.
June 19, 2009
If you like words, these books are recommended. I got both when I was in high school because my grandmother, who loved words, died. And I was the one chosen to go to her apartment and clear out the books, so I got first dibs. I picked up The Superior Person's Book of Words, and then saw that there was second. I took them home and read them, laughed heartily, and even actually used some of the words with hilarious results.
P.S. If I remember correctly, there is a bit of "poor taste" humor, but mostly it's great fun.
P.S. If I remember correctly, there is a bit of "poor taste" humor, but mostly it's great fun.
June 10, 2008
My favorite definition: Longanimity n. Suffering in silence over a period of time, while brooding on revenge.
March 2, 2009
One of the only sequels I've found to be equal to the original. Bowler is the best!
October 22, 2011
there are a number of words that will enter your vocabulary and make you giggle.
August 5, 2013
Some great words, but the definitions & accompanying essays are sometimes a little over the top, dated, or simply distasteful. Your mileage may vary.
February 18, 2017
Funny, interesting, and educational. I enjoyed reading it!
March 6, 2018
Learned lots and very funny in parts. Love it
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews