wrote the book on

Idioms  

1. Knows nearly everything about, as in Ask Dr. Lock; he wrote the book on pediatric cardiology, or I wrote the book on job-hunting; I've been looking for two years. This expression is always put in the past tense. [Colloquial; second half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wrote the book on

"And he went and did his little investigation and wrote the book on his own."

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

This is what I learned from Edward Fishman, who worked on sanctions policy in the Obama administration and literally wrote the book on this subject: “Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026

Sam Donaldson, the ABC reporter who practically wrote the book on covering presidents, feels much the same way.

From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2025

"He literally wrote the book on the art of deal making."

From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2025

“I wrote the book on right. Silent Somersault?”

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray