Schott’s Significa: The Operating Systems of Everyday Life

From the author of the international bestseller Schott’s Original Miscellany comes a visually rich book that breaks down the colorful language and systems of signs that make up the vocabulary of our world. Named a Best Book of October 2025 by Kirkus, Financial Times, and Town & Country

Here is an obsessive and fascinating look at the systems of language and knowledge that surrounds us. Ben Schott breaks down the lingo, slang, and jargon found in dozens of fascinating professions, events, and subcultures--from the insider language used in casino gambling to the NYC diamond district and professional sommeliers to London cabbies.

For those who love language and wish to gain access to rarified worlds, this book is an elegant and smart look at so much hiding in plain sight around us. With its gorgeously erudite and detailed design, full-color photos throughout, and thoroughly researched survey of lingo and culture, Schott’s Significa will change how you see the world.

Ben Schott is the creator and designer of the international bestseller Schott’s Original Miscellany. and its three sequels. He subsequently published a series of Miscellanies and Almanacs and the book Schottenfreude, which have sold 2.5 million copies in 21 languages (including Braille). Ben has written for The Times, The Telegraph, The New York Times, The Spectator, The Guardian, Private Eye, Reader’s Digest, The Paris Review, Bloomberg Opinion, Bon Appétit, Portfolio, The Paris Review, and Playboy. In 2015 he won the James Beard award for humo(u)r, and in 2004 he won a D&AD Pencil for Creative Excellence.