Publisher Description
To untangle the knot of interlocking meanings of these painted words, logophile and mythologist Phil Cousineau begins each fascinating word entry with his own brief definition. He then fills it in with a tint of etymology and a smattering of quotes that show how the word is used, ending with a list of companion words. The words themselves range from commonplace - like biscuit, a twice-baked cake for Roman soldiers - to loanwords including chaparral, from the Basque shepherds who came to the American West; words from myths, such as hector; metamorphosis words, like silly, which evolved from holy to goofy in a mere thousand years; and words well worthy of revival, such as carrytale, a wandering storyteller. Whether old-fangled or brand new, all the words included in The Painted Word possess an ineffable quality that makes them luminous.
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About Phil Cousineau
Phil Cousineau is
an award-winning writer and filmmaker, teacher and editor, independent scholar
and travel leader, storyteller and television host. He lectures frequently on a
wide spectrum of topics that reflect his mythic journeys, including mythology,
movies, writing, mentorship, beauty, travel, sports, and creativity. Currently
the host of Link TV’s Global Spirit series,
Cousineau has published more than two dozen nonfiction books and has fifteen
scriptwriting credits to his name. His books have been translated into nine
languages. An expert on mythology and film and the “hero journey”
structure of screenplays, Cousineau consults on writing projects of all kinds.
He lives in San Francisco.