The Words You Should Know to Sound Smart: 1200 Essential Words Every Sophisticated Person Should Be Able to Use by Robert W. Bly

Be the life of every highbrow cocktail party—just by mastering the deliciously obscure terms in The Words You Should Know to Sound Smart. This book is a tongue-in-cheek guide to words that any well-educated, witty person should be able to drop into cocktail conversation. You are encouraged to toss off words such as “disestablishmentarianism,” “descant,” and “autodidactic”—words that will make the user sound learned, intellectual, and wise. For those who want to improve the quality and sophistication of their speech and writing, this is the book to keep on the nightstand.