Stefan Fatsis
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stefanfatsis.bsky.social
Stefan Fatsis
@stefanfatsis.bsky.social
1.5K followers 540 following 160 posts
Author: Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary
Also: Word Freak, A Few Seconds of Panic, Wild & Outside
Ex: Hang Up and Listen, WSJ, NPR, AP, Daily Pennsylvanian, Pel Mel
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
bgrueskin.bsky.social
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.

He is a computer safety researcher.

And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.

In under 1600 words.

aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
I Want You to Understand Chicago Politics Chicago 2025-11-08 I want you to understand what it is like to live in Chicago during this time. Every day my phone buzzes. It is a neighborhood group: four people were kidnapped at the corner drugstore. A friend a mile away sends a Slack message: she was at the scene when masked men assaulted and abducted two people on the street. A plumber working on my pipes is distraught, and I find out that two of his employees were kidnapped that morning. A week later it happens again. An email arrives. Agents with guns have chased a teacher into the school where she works. They did not have a warrant. They dragged her away, ignoring her and her colleagues’ pleas to show proof of her documentation. That evening I stand a few feet from the parents of Rayito de Sol and listen to them describe, with anguish, how good Ms. Diana was to their children. What it is like to have strangers with guns traumatize your kids. For a teacher to hide a three-year-old child for fear they might be killed. How their relatives will no longer leave the house. I hear the pain and fury in their voices, and I wonder who will be next. Understand what it is to pray in Chicago. On September 19th, Reverend David Black, lead pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, was praying outside the ICE detention center in Broadview when a DHS agent shot him in the head with pepper balls. Pepper balls are never supposed to be fired at the head because they can seriously injure, or even kill. “We could hear them laughing as they were shooting us from the roof,” Black recalled. He is not the only member of the clergy ICE has assaulted. Methodist pastor Hannah Kardon was violently arrested on October 17th, and Baptist pastor Michael Woolf was shot with pepper balls on November 1st. Understand what it is to sleep in Chicago. On the night of September 30th, federal agents rappelled from a Black Hawk helicopter to execute a raid on an apartment building on the South Sho…
November 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
lynneguist.bsky.social
John Kelly @mashedradish.bsky.social makes 'fascism' his Etymology of the Year

mashedradish.com/2025/11/04/f...
The 2025 Etymology of the Year
“Fascism” is a challenging word for a challenging moment, and its origins may bear lessons for us.
mashedradish.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
pjsauer.bsky.social
I’m a little late nighty, but once again @squawkinsports.bsky.social crushed. With @williamfleitch.bsky.social
@stefanfatsis.bsky.social
@davidjroth.bsky.social

12/4. Bitches.

www.eventbrite.com/e/1865660985...
November 7, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
davidjroth.bsky.social
We're doing this on Thursday night. Fun books, iconic bloggers, the type of German beers they serve in a big ceramic mug. Not a lot of sports, if we're being honest, but I'll ask Will about Jake Plummer or something.
The promo image for the November 6 installment of Squawkin Sports, at which Patrick Sauer and I will interview Will Leitch and Stefan Fatsis about their books, at 7pm.
November 5, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
frogandtoadbot.bsky.social
They climbed higher, and they heard a loud noise. Many large stones were rolling down the mountain.
A avalanche of rocks comes tumbling down the mountain, threatening the lives of the very brave Frog and very brave Toad. From "Dragons and Giants" In *Frog and Toad Together*
November 5, 2025 at 5:37 AM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
pjsauer.bsky.social
COME CELEBRATE ZOHRAN WEEK AT ONE OR BOTH OF THESE AWESOME BK BOOK JAWNS

W/ @willleitch.bsky.social
@stefanfatsis.bsky.social
@davidjroth.bsky.social
@risenc.bsky.social

(5% SNAP goes for Red Scare book/wine sales too).

www.eventbrite.com/e/1744028358...

www.eventbrite.com/e/red-scare-...
November 5, 2025 at 12:23 AM
stefanfatsis.bsky.social
If @joshuablevin.bsky.social makes it you should listen to it
joshuablevin.bsky.social Josh Levin @joshuablevin.bsky.social · 8d
I'm thrilled to announce the pilot episode for a new sports history podcast called Replay Booth. The pilot, "Wilbur Huckle for President," is live now. If you liked Slow Burn and/or One Year and/or Hang Up and Listen, you'll love this www.replaybooth.show/p/replay-boo...
www.replaybooth.show
November 4, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
wirobooks.bsky.social
An exceedingly cromulent story about defining words. www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/bookreview/u... @groveatlantic.bsky.social @stefanfatsis.bsky.social #booksky
Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary | Washington Independent Review of Books
The Independent is an important voice in the community of readers and writers dedicated to book reviews and writing about the world of books.
www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com
November 3, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
artbutmakeitsports.bsky.social
The Good Samaritan, by Joseph Highmore, 1744, 📸 by @patricksmith04
November 2, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
slangsonsports.bsky.social
Yoshinobu Yamamoto:

First pitcher to win 3 games in a single World Series since 2001 Randy Johnson

First pitcher with 3 road wins in a single WS

4th P to win G6+7 in a WS, joining ‘01 Johnson, 1946 Harry Brecheen, 1925 Ray Kremer — FIRST to do it on road
November 2, 2025 at 4:41 AM
stefanfatsis.bsky.social
Sure this was epic but the 1921 World Series ended in Game 8 “in a cloud of dust” at third base on a double play turned by George “High Pockets” Kelly
November 2, 2025 at 4:44 AM
stefanfatsis.bsky.social
When an announcer begins a sentence “In 1926 Grover Cleveland Alexander” you know the game is drunk
November 2, 2025 at 3:59 AM
stefanfatsis.bsky.social
This game
November 2, 2025 at 3:39 AM
stefanfatsis.bsky.social
Miguel Rojas > Cookie Rojas
November 2, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
artbutmakeitsports.bsky.social
Rendezvous on the Beach, by Edvard Munch, 1896
November 1, 2025 at 3:19 AM
stefanfatsis.bsky.social
Holy cow baseball
November 1, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
grammargirl.bsky.social
Are you watching the World Series tonight?

Well, here's a fun fact to share with your fellow fans:

In this week's podcast, @benzimmer.bsky.social explains how "jazz" was baseball slang from 1912. Yes, "jazz" started as a BASEBALL term! 1/3

🎧 pod.link/173429229
October 31, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
grammargirl.bsky.social
Jazz was such a big deal that the American Dialect Society picked "jazz" as the Word of the Century for the 1900s.

We also talked about the origin of "The Big Easy," "hella," "scalawag," and "Ms." — great stories all!

Listen as you're getting ready for the game tonight: pod.link/173429229
pod.link
October 31, 2025 at 3:28 PM
stefanfatsis.bsky.social
About to join @maryldixon.bsky.social and Patrick Smith live on @wbez’s “Say More” to talk about UNABRIDGED. In a few minutes. After John Waters. www.wbez.org
WBEZ Chicago - WBEZ Chicago
www.wbez.org
October 29, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
jessesword.com
The OED on _aunt_ n. sense 1.b.
1750– A woman who is regarded with respect or affection similar to that often accorded to an aunt (sense 1a) despite not being linked by this specific kinship; esp. a close family friend or (chiefly regional, as a term of respect or affection) an elderly woman. Also as a form of address or as a title preceding a first name. Cf. auntie n. 1b, uncle n. 1b. Frequently as a title. Cf. sense 1a.ii.
October 28, 2025 at 8:25 PM
stefanfatsis.bsky.social
Chicagolanders! Tomorrow 10/28 at 7 pm at The Book Cellar I'll be talking about my new book with @jonathaneig.bsky.social. Come ask me about trying to get the farting sense of "Dutch oven" into the dictionary and Jon about winning a Pulitzer Prize www.bookcellarinc.com/stefan-fatsi...
Stefan Fatsis in conversation with Jonathan Eig, "Unabridged" | The Book Cellar
www.bookcellarinc.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
pjsauer.bsky.social
11/6 SQUAWKIN’ SPORTS LIVE XV TIX GOING FAST

Ideally, it’ll be a new day in Gotham City, our first show under Communism. Can’t wait to interrogate comrades
@williamfleitch.bsky.social
@stefanfatsis.bsky.social
@davidjroth.bsky.social

#BetterReadThanDead

www.eventbrite.com/e/squawkin-s...
October 24, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Over the past week, the president said the DOJ should pay him a quarter billion dollars, bulldozed half the White House to build himself a gaudy ballroom, bragged about murdering civilians in international waters, pardoned some more criminals, directed federal prosecutors to indict his opponents ...
October 23, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
lindsaygibbs.bsky.social
Having Stefan back on the show was the absolute best. He is truly the GOAT and everyone should get his book!!!!!
October 23, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Reposted by Stefan Fatsis
ericmoskowitz.bsky.social
So much fun last night to see @stefanfatsis.bsky.social discuss UNABRIDGED with @louisathomas.bsky.social at @harvardbookstore.bsky.social—part state of the dictionary, part participatory journalism romp in which he embeds at M-W, defines several words, voices “Meyer lemon” & accidentally goes viral
October 23, 2025 at 1:39 PM