There are two sides to the coin when it comes to using stories to improve your vocabulary. If you’re a seasoned Vocabbett listener, you’re probably familiar with the first: I write stories and weave “big” words into them. Like immersion for learning a foreign language, this immerses you in the world of SAT words, painlessly and passively boosting your vocabulary. But there's another side: starting with the "big" word, and hearing its story. The study of etymology is magical

With more schools announcing virtual-only learning for the fall, parents, students, and teachers alike are wondering what the long-term academic effect will be on students. I can’t tell you, but here’s what I know: there are few things more beneficial for the human psyche than a good book. We’ve probably all heard someone say, “That book changed my life,” but there are also studies showing it may slow cognitive decline, help you live longer, reduce stress levels, improve your

Well, hello! After a week off for the 4th of July, I returned to find that my local school district announced some big changes for the fall. People are being asked to decide whether they want 100% in-person or 100% virtual schooling. To be honest, I don’t know if I’d be comfortable with either of these options. Has your school made any announcements yet? In episode 31 of the Vocabbett podcast, I discuss how I fear our education system is following in the footsteps of th

“Wow, that’s really manly of you, to be such a good person!” – Ancient Romans As we continue our study of etymology, it may amuse (annoy? probably not surprise…) you to find sneaky double meanings in many English words, many of which are rather sexist. For instance, since the Latin root “vir” meant “man,” many of our “vir” words have an element of “manliness” built into them. Are you virtuous? Well, if you’re a man, that means you’re a good man. And if you’re a woman? You’re

“Bat shi*t,” repeated Salima Ikram, the queen of Egyptology, in her posh British accent to her hyperventilating students.

There’s an old quote that the world is a book, and those who don’t travel read only one page. I quite agree, but I have my own little spin on it—that those who don’t read live only one life. I can’t imagine how much less rich my life would be if I’d only lived in this time and space. Because of books, I feel like I’ve gotten to live in Henry VIII’s court, been chased by lions in the Colosseum, the list goes on…! I recently read an excellent summer reading book called Salt t

I wanted to be in her bed, but I ended up in her walls instead. 6-foot thick monstrosities built to withstand the most fortified...

“On my count, and…go.” Clad entirely in black, from her headband to her yoga pants, Karen scrabbled over the fence into her neighbors’...