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  • Holy Sh*t

  • A Brief History of Swearing
  • By: Melissa Mohr
  • Narrated by: Napoleon Ryan
  • Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (22 ratings)
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Holy Sh*t

By: Melissa Mohr
Narrated by: Napoleon Ryan
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Summary

Almost everyone swears, or worries about not swearing, from the two-year-old who has just discovered the power of potty mouth to the grandma who wonders why every other word she hears is obscene. Whether they express anger or exhilaration, are meant to insult or to commend, swear words perform a crucial role in language. But swearing is also a uniquely well-suited lens through which to look at history, offering a fascinating record of what people care about on the deepest levels of a culture - what's divine, what's terrifying, and what's taboo. 

Holy Sh*t tells the story of two kinds of swearing - obscenities and oaths - from ancient Rome and the Bible to today. With humor and insight, Melissa Mohr takes listeners on a journey to discover how "swearing" has come to include both testifying with your hand on the Bible and calling someone a *#$&!* when they cut you off on the highway. She explores obscenities in ancient Rome - which were remarkably similar to our own - and unearths the history of religious oaths in the Middle Ages, when swearing (or not swearing) an oath was often a matter of life and death. 

Holy Sh*t also explains the advancement of civility and corresponding censorship of language in the 18th century, considers the rise of racial slurs after World War II, examines the physiological effects of swearing (increased heart rate and greater pain tolerance), and answers a question that preoccupies the FCC, the US Senate, and anyone who has recently overheard little kids at a playground: are we swearing more now than people did in the past? 

A gem of lexicography and cultural history, Holy Sh*t is a serious exploration of obscenity - and it also just might expand your repertoire of words to choose from the next time you shut your finger in the car door.  

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2013 Melissa Mohr (P)2014 Audible Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

I’ve read another really good book on swearing

I think most people would probably like this book. I’ve read a better one, this one goes into a few subjects I find very uncomfortable. I tried but it isn’t for me.

If you’re sensitive about SA, there are other books on the history of swearing.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Bodeh Bodeh Bodeh

It’s a very interesting book but the way and frequency “body” is said in the first few chapters (this is as far as I could get) is just too much.

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