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Author Phil Cousineau takes us on a tour into the obscure territory of word origins with great erudition and endearing curiosity.  The words themselves range from commonplace—like biscuit, a twice-baked cake for Roman soldiers—to loanwords including “chaparral,” from the Basque shepherds who came to the American West; words from myths, such as “hector;” metamorphosis words, like “silly,” which evolved from “holy” to “goofy” in a mere thousand years; and words well worthy of revival, such as “carrytale,” a wandering storyteller. Whether old-fangled or brand new, all the words included in The Painted Word reveal the deep history and mystery of words and language.