Sh*t People Don't Know: The Backstory of Everything - Paperback

by Phil Tanner (Author)

Language is messy. Idioms are worse. We use them recklessly without asking ourselves why we do it. We expect everyone to understand us, but many of these phrases have outlived the societies that created them. Why is Friday the 13th unlucky? Why do people throw salt over their shoulder? How can you drop the ball at work but still be left holding the ball, especially after your boss just threw you a curve ball?

Sh*t People Don't Know pulls back the curtain on a language that behaves less like a rulebook and more like an inside joke. This is an entertaining deep dive into the strange origins of the words, phrases, customs, and superstitions woven into everyday English. You'll also uncover the forgotten logic behind traditions, the surprising roots of major holidays, and the quiet fingerprints of secret societies, old-world rituals, and religion that still shapes how we speak and behave today. Some stories are hilarious, others are dark, and a few might make you squirm.

Whether you're a native speaker or just learning, this book reveals language for what it really is: a living record of human behaviour that is illogical, fascinating, and often ridiculous. Eventually, you'll catch yourself thinking ... "Well sh*t, I didn't know that."