The F Word (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Mullins, Bill AMRDEC]

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Just received my copy of Jesse Sheidlower's new edition of _The F-Word_.
When Jesse gets the Nobel Prize for literature next year (stranger
awards have been given . .  .), I'll take some modest pride in it for my
own meager contributions (and I've proudly shown a few co-workers my
name in the acknowledgements, to which they usually respond by backing
slowly away with a glassy look).

Regardless of the dictionary of the F-word and its many variants,
phrases, and acronyms, the book has a great introduction in which Jesse
describes the history and etymology of the F-word; its status as a taboo
word; euphemisms and ways of getting around its tabooness; its gradual
appearances in legal citations, in underground, scholarly, and
mainstream printed matter as well as movies and recordings; and its
emergence in dictionaries.  Also mentioned are a few anecdotes about the
word (T Bankhead to N Mailer: "You're the young man who can't spell
fuck.") This essay alone was worth the modest price of the book, to me.

The dictionary itself has more ways to conjugate the F-word than I could
have ever imagined (and I used to consider myself, if not an expert, at
least well-versed in the word).  A couple of the acronyms listed are my
own submissions.  Since the manuscript was finalized, I've continue to
antedate entries, and find more uses, so if there is ever a 4th edition,
it will be better still.

A nice book.   Get a copy.

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

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