Schottenfreude
Ben Schott

Ever thought, 'There should be a German word for that'? Well, now there is. From the mind that created Schott's Original Miscellany comes a unique volume exploring the idiosyncrasies of the human condition . . . auf Deutsch.

In which language but German could you construct le mot juste for: a shameful love of bad foods, Sunday-afternoon depression, the lingering sensation of a first kiss, delight at the changing of the seasons, the urge to hoard, the joy of the perfectly wrapped present, or the ineffable pleasure of a cool pillow?

For example:

Haarmonie - Reassuring your hairdresser.

Fufaust - Instinctively curling up your toes in mortification at someone else's embarrassment.

Zwillingsmoral - Reading horoscopes you don't believe in.

Gastdruck - The exhausting effort of being a good houseguest.

and

Kraftfahrzeugsinnenausstattungsneugeruchsgenuss - New car smell.