Midwestern Conversation is an affectionate, self-deprecating look at the language of a people long defined by their kindness and reduced to their voting patterns. Written by born-and-bred Midwesterner Taylor Kay Phillips, it’s a wink, a hug, and a firm handshake (with eye contact) to the millions of Americans who say soda and pop interchangeably and grew up doing tornado drills in school. Discover Midwestern conversational staples like: • How to announce that you hate something beyond comprehension (“I didn’t really care for it”) • What counts as “a short drive” (less than eight hours) • Sports talk (starts early, doesn’t end till we’re six feet under)