I never imagined this was possible, but “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows” is now a New York Times bestseller! There are no words for how grateful I feel, knowing that I’m not alone. If you’re thinking of gifts for anyone you know who’s creative, thoughtful, or going through confusing times, you might want to order them a copy now: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1501153641?tag=simonsayscom Amazon.com: The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows: 9781501153648: Koenig, John: Books ..read more

n. curiosity about the impact you’ve had on the lives of the people you know, wondering which of your harmless actions or long-forgotten words might have altered the plot of their stories in ways you’ll never get to see. “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows” is available in hardcover, with hundreds of new definitions: https://bit.ly/3z1RYvH ..read more

Good question! The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows is divided into six chapters, with definitions grouped according to theme: 1. Between Living and Dreaming (about worldview and desire) 2. The Interior Wilderness (selfhood and identity) 3. Montage of Attractions (relationships and intimacy) 4. Faces in a Crowd (society and alienation) 5. Boats Against the Current (time and memory) 6. Roll the Bones (uncertainty and chaos) There’s also a postscript section called “After Words,” with some commentary on language and meaning, and what this project has meant to me personally. The definitions are arra ..read more

This project started here on Tumblr more than 10 years ago. To all my followers, I can’t thank you all enough for sticking with me through all these years. Because of your support, I’m proud to announce the book is finally here. As of TODAY, “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows” is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local bookstore. It’s a dictionary of made-up words for emotions that we all feel but don’t have the words to express, filled with new definitions, illustrations, etymologies and essays that seek to capture the forgotten corners of the human condition. Get your co ..read more

n. the feeling of emptiness after a long and arduous pro- cess is finally complete—having finished school, recovered from surgery, or gone home at the end of your wedding— which leaves you relieved that it’s over but missing the stress that organized your life into a mission. Pre-order your copy of “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows” from Simon & Schuster: https://bit.ly/3z1RYvH ..read more

PRE-ORDER your copy of “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows” here, from Simon & Schuster: https://bit.ly/3z1RYvH (click on any of the links on the right) I think about this feeling a lot. Driving past your childhood home to show it to a friend, or pointing at a picture of a loved one you lost, only to realize that to them it’s just another house, just another face. Etymology: Aulasy is a contraction of auld lang syne, which is Scots for “times long past”—fragments of which are still present in aulasy, but the meaning has been lost ..read more

THE BOOK COMES OUT NEXT WEEK! Pre-order “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows” here: https://bit.ly/3z1RYvH ..read more

n. a wistful omen of the first sign of autumn—a subtle coolness in the shadows, a rustling of dead leaves abandoned on the sidewalk, or a long skein of geese sweeping over your head like the second hand of a clock. Pre-order “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows” book here: https://bit.ly/3z1RYvH ..read more

The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows—the book. 12 years in the making. 300 pages, 70% new definitions, including longer video-like essays, otherworldly illustrations, and some thoughts on language and the meaning of life. Pre-order your copy here (click any of the links on the right side of the page): https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Dictionary-of-Obscure-Sorrows/John-Koenig/9781501153648 Coming November 16, 2021 from Simon & Schuster.  ..read more

adj. the wish that the modern world felt as epic as the one depicted in old stories and folktales—a place of tragedy and transcendence, of oaths and omens and fates, where everyday life felt like a quest for glory, a mythic bond with an ancient past, or a battle for survival against a clear enemy, rather than an open-ended parlor game where all the rules are made up and the points don’t matter ..read more