Gold foil illustration of stars

About the Author

John Koenig created The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows in 2009. What started as a blog grew into a YouTube series and, in 2021, a book. He's a writer and designer whose work spans graphic design, creative writing, and voice acting. Born in Idaho and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, he now lives in Minneapolis with his wife and daughter.

"It’s undeniably thrilling to find words for our strangest feelings…Koenig casts light into lonely corners of human experience…An enchanting book."

—The Washington Post

Backmasking

a woman's face with a double exposure

Heart Of Aces

a person covering their eyes with their hands

Affogatia

miscellaneous items on a table

Pâro

Cover image for the Pâro word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Thwit

close-up of a person with forehead wrinkled and holding their head

Lyssamania

Cover image for the Lyssamania word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

A book that poetically defines emotions that we all feel but haven't had the words to express—until now.

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