Phrased & Confused: The Curious Meanings of Timeless Quotations

Eli Burnstein is the author of Dictionary of Fine Distinctions: Nuances, Niceties, and Subtle Shades of Meaning , about which The Wall Street Journal said, "One doesn't have to read for long before experiencing a 'Eureka' moment, in which a previously murky subject comes into focus." Steven Pinker raved, "This delightful book is a tribute to the genius of the human mind for conceptual precision and the beauty of the English language in capturing it." Burnstein's humor writing 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 , National Post, and on CBC Radio.