On Cussing: Bad Words and Creative Cursing - Katherine Dunn

Category: History, Misc. Non-fiction
Language: English
Keywords: Language Social Sciences Writing

Written by Katherine Dunn
Read by Caroline Aaron
Format: M4B
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

“Fuck the Fuckity Fuckin’ Fucker.”

Fans of Katherine Dunn won’t be surprised that this was her father’s favorite sentence, or that, as a young girl, she heard it as a kind of profane poem, a secret song. For many of us, the language of Geek Love carries a similar staying power, born of Dunn’s agile use of language and her strange, beautiful diction. And as a true exegetic of the expletive, she remained devoted to obscenity - both as scholar and practitioner.

In On Cussing, Dunn sketches a brief history of swear words and creates something of a field guide to their types and usages, from the common threat (”I’ll squash you like a shithouse mouse”) to the portmanteau intensifier (”Fan-fucking-tastic”). But she also explores their physiology - the physical impact on the reader or listener - and makes an argument for how and when to cuss with maximum effect. Equal parts informative and hilarious, this volume will delight Dunn’s legion of fans, but it’s also a must-have for anyone looking to more successfully wield their expletives, be it in writing or in everyday speech.

Audio Release Date:
March 26 2019

51 mins