On Cussing

Bad Words and Creative Cursing

By: Katherine Dunn

Narrated by: Caroline Aaron

F--k the F--kity F--kin' F--ker. 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 exegete of the expletive, she remained undividedly 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-f--king-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.

©2019 The Estate of Katherine Dunn (P)2019 Recorded Books

Fantastic!

Hilarious and valuable for writers and storytellers, or just for those who love language.

Everything Katherine Dunn wrote is amazing

Amazing! Cursing makes you more believable as a witness in court! Who Knew? Informative and Funny!

Very interesting and instructive.

Dunn lays down the history and facts of profanity and how it has shaped social dogmas since the fall of Rome. She holds nothing back keeping it real, at times hilarious; and then at times most meditative. The best short listen I have heard in some time!

Fun, short read

Content was good, reader was expressive which was nice, however I didn’t care for her smokers sounding voice. Just my own personal preference.