Schottenfreude German Words for the Human Condition

Schottenfreude : German Words for the Human Condition
ISBN: 9781922147585
Publication Date: 23 October 2013

Ever thought, 'There should be a German word for that' Well, now there is.

From the mind that created Schott's Original Miscellany comes a unique volume exploring the idiosyncrasies of the human conditionauf Deutsch.

In which language but German could you construct le mot juste for: a secret love of bad food, the inability to remember jokes, Sunday-afternoon depression, the urge to yawn, the glee of gossip, reassuring your hairdresser, delight at the changing of the seasons, the urge to hoard, or the ineffable pleasure of a cold pillow

Read Caroline Baum's Review

Ben Schott has done a wonderful thing: he's built hilariously long compound German words to express those moments which define the human condition: feigning sleep to avoid unwanted sexual intimacy, the morbid urge to slow down and stare at a road accident, staring at the refrigerator, hungry but unsure of what to eat, the inability to remember jokes....they're all here, with a helpful pronunciation guide and fabulously erudite footnotes.

An eccentric dictionary for anyone who loves language.

About the Author

Ben Schott is the author of Schott's Original Miscellany, Schott's Food Drink Miscellany, Schott's Sporting, Gaming Idling Miscellany, Schott's Quintessential Miscellany and the yearbook Schott's Almanac (2006-11). Ben is a regular contributor to the New York Times and The Times. He divides his time between London and New York.