{"product_id":"expressions-seth-blanken-9798257731945","title":"Expressions: The Meaning Behind the Madness","description":"\u003cb\u003eWelcome to the World Behind the Words\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage is a strange and wonderful thing.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eEvery day, we casually toss around phrases like \u003ci\u003e\"play it by ear,\" \"roll with it,\"\u003c\/i\u003e or \u003ci\u003e\"big fish in a small pond\"\u003c\/i\u003e without stopping to think about how bizarre they actually are. If you take them literally, they make almost no sense. Fish don't worry about career growth. People aren't actually playing music with their ears. And no one, thankfully, is raining cats and dogs from the sky.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eYet somehow, these expressions stick. They survive generations, cross cultures, and become part of how we explain the world to each other.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis book exists to pull back the curtain on those phrases.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eEach expression you'll find here has been brought to life not just through explanation, but through bold, comic-style imagery. The visuals lean into the absurdity, exaggeration, and humor behind the words because sometimes the best way to understand an expression is to \u003ci\u003esee\u003c\/i\u003e just how ridiculous it really is. What happens when you actually picture someone \"flying by the seat of their pants\"? Or imagine a literal \"big fish\" trying to dominate a tiny office cubicle?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe result is a collection that's part language guide, part visual satire, and part reminder that communication has always been a little unhinged.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut beneath the humor, there's something deeper.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eExpressions are shortcuts. They carry history, culture, and shared understanding in just a few words. Some come from ancient trades, others from war, music, sports, or pure human creativity. They reflect how people once lived and, in many ways, how we still think today.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSo, whether you're here to learn, laugh, or just appreciate how strange everyday language can be, you're in the right place.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJust don't overthink it.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eOr better yet... play it by ear.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Seth Blanken\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798257731945\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/16\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 52\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.32lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 11.00h x 8.50w x 0.11d","brand":"Seth Blanken","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":49172715864319,"sku":"9798257731945","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/expressions-seth-blanken-9798257731945","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}