The book’s a thorough look at the loaded words—and the assumptions they make—used in politics and persuasion. (Examples include: pro-choice, pro-life, terrorist suspect, etc.)

The focus is narrow, teasing out specific examples in larger categories and working through the assumptions and prejudicial implications. Our discourse is pruned, reasonable points are made extreme or unspeakable, due to the loading of the phrases. There’s an appeal to avoid loaded phrases—and an admission that politicians won’t do so, so we need to listen more carefully.