On Cussing, Katherine Dunn
On Cussing, Katherine Dunn
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On Cussing
Bad Words and Creative Cursing

Author: Katherine Dunn

Narrator: Caroline Aaron

Unabridged: 51 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 03/26/2019


Synopsis

F uck the Fuckity Fuckin' Fucker. Readers 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-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.

About Katherine Dunn

Katherine Dunn is the author of Geek Love, which was a finalist for the National Book Award and the Bram Stoker Award, as well as the novels Attic and Truck. She was an award-winning boxing journalist whose work appeared in Esquire, KO Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Playboy, The Ring, Sports Illustrated, and Vogue. Her writing on boxing is collected in One Ring Circus. In 2004, Dunn and the photographer Jim Lommasson won the Dorothea Lange–Paul Taylor Prize for their work on the book Shadow Boxers. Dunn died in 2016.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Patricija || book.duo on September 25, 2023

5/5 Ar žinojot, kad nors visi žodžiai šiaip laikomi vienoje smegenų dalyje, keiksmažodžiai, kaip mokslininkai mano, laikomi visai kitur – vietoje, kuri atsakinga už automatinius veiksmus, kvėpavimą, refleksus, alkį ir emocijas. Todėl ir galvojama, kad kai Alzheimeriu sergantiems ar dideles smegenų tr......more

Goodreads review by Vicki on September 04, 2019

Advice for writers on when and how to use foul language in one’s writing, some of which is laugh-out-loud funny.......more

Goodreads review by Bookeater504 on September 08, 2021

Her mention of "shit on a stick" makes me feel seen.......more

Goodreads review by Aquila on January 29, 2025

On Cussing is surprisingly informative for such a short volume! I learned a lot of interesting things about the different flavors of "foul" language along with the history of it. This book is good for a laugh and a little education to boot!......more

Goodreads review by Gary on May 13, 2019

Katherine Dunn wrote Geek Love. If you havent, you should. This one is really short and sweet. I'm a cusser. This made me laugh. Especially since she diagram a her father's favorite phrase. Let's say it's a colorful grouping of various uses of the first word. Hysterical! Does anyone remember diagram......more