Have you ever wondered from where a phrase or saying came? No, me neither. Nonetheless Totally Scripted is an entertaining and informative read that has a certain charm for word nerds. I connected more with the asides from some of the most famous movie sets, but the running glossary is enjoyable too. I don't know if I would recommend that you run out and buy it (a quiet stroll would be fine), but it is an impressive and fun tome to add to your reference shelf.

If you have ever uttered a phrase in casual conversation, then thought to yourself, "I wonder where that saying comes from..." and immediately consulted the internet to learn the origin, this is a book for you! Josh Chetwynd has compiled words and phrases related to the entertainment business that have entered the common vernacular. These entries are approximately a page long and they discuss early usage in history, and how some facet of the entertainment industry has changed their meaning over time. (My favorite being "money shot". I can't help but giggle when this is used with any other intended context.)

Along with the etymology, there are also pages of famous film quotes that are so often quoted, many people may not even know what movie they are from any more. This may have been my favorite part of the book, as they give some more background on these iconic lines, and how many didn't even make it into the script but were ad-libbed.

I'm always fascinated when someone understands the gist of "dropping a dime on someone" or "his own row to hoe," despite having no connection to the original source of the saying. This is a collection of idiom from the entertainment industry attempting to explain why someone can say "go ahead, make my day" without having any idea who Dirty Harry was. Chetwynd explains how resonant phrases take on a life of their own, sometimes (like the verb, "to Bogart") evolve a meaning.