Phrased and Confused (Hardback)

Name: Phrased and Confused
Author: Eli Burnstein

The World's Great Quotations and What They (Really) Mean

Following Dictionary of Fine Distinctions, a stocking filler and witty guide to humanity's most iconic - and misunderstood - quotes

'Brilliant, revelatory and erudite. Like all the best books it lets you see the familiar world in a new way' Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon

'Enlightening' Steven Pinker

Hell is other people. You are what you eat. Ignorance is bliss. Or is it?

We read them, perhaps give a knowing chuckle, and move on with next to no thought. But what do these timeless and iconic quotations really mean?

Thankfully, language and philosophy obsessive Eli Burnstein is on hand to unpack forty-five of humanity's most iconic statements with lightness and wit. From Aristotle to Hannah Arendt, William Blake to Simone de Beauvoir, each delightfully illustrated entry will improve your grasp of the meaning behind their riddlesome words, and deepen your appreciation for the big ideas they stand for.

Publication date: October 1, 2026

£14.99

ISBN: 9781805226994

Imprint: Profile Books

Subject: Arts, Language & Literature, Reference, Humour & Gift

Illustrated by: Liana Finck

Phrased and Confused (Accessible EPUBAccessible EPUB)

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Phrased and Confused (Ebook)

The World's Great Quotations and What They (Really) Mean

Eli Burnstein

Following Dictionary of Fine Distinctions, a stocking filler and witty guide to humanity's most iconic - and misunderstood - quotes

'Brilliant, revelatory and erudite. Like all the best books it lets you see the familiar world in a new way' Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon

'Enlightening' Steven Pinker

Hell is other people. You are what you eat. Ignorance is bliss. Or is it?

We read them, perhaps give a knowing chuckle, and move on with next to no thought. But what do these timeless and iconic quotations really mean?

Publication date: October 1, 2026

£11.99

ISBN: 9781805227014

ISBN 10 / ASIN: B0GDRZLV73

Imprint: Profile Books

Subject: Arts, Language & Literature, Reference, Humour & Gift

Illustrated by: Liana Finck

Reviews for Phrased and Confused

'Brilliant, revelatory and erudite. Like all the best books it lets you see the familiar world in a new way'

Mark Forsyth, author of THE ETYMOLOGICON

'An enjoyable corrective to the clichéd interpretation of clichés, enlightening because Burnstein does not just debunk but explains their contexts and nuances of interpretation'

Steven Pinker

'A superbly acute and enjoyable cracking of important nutshells'

Anthony Gottlieb, author of LUDWIG WITTGENSTEIN

'This book is more than a delightful romp; it's a liberal education. I devoured it voraciously . . . Burnstein makes big ideas swing on the page'

Jim Holt, author of WHY DOES THE WORLD EXIST?

'An irresistible celebration of language, insight, and the pleasure of finally understanding what we thought we already knew'

Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, author of THE MATTERING INSTINCT

'Smart, witty, and charmingly illustrated . . . a treat for anyone curious about why we say the things we do'

Martha Barnette, co-host of A Way with Words

'Erudite fun for the curious and the literate . . . A book to share and graze on'

William Deresiewicz, author of EXCELLENT SHEEP

Eli Burnstein

s Eli Burnstein is a Canadian humour writer, living in London. His work has appeared in the New Yorker, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Slackjaw, Weekly Humorist and Points in Case. He runs a spelling bee (Spelling Bae) that has been featured in the Toronto Star and the National Post, and on CBC Radio.