{"product_id":"holy-sh-t-a-brief-history-of-swearing-paperback","title":"Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eMelissa Mohr\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlmost 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. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cem\u003eHoly Sh*t\u003c\/em\u003e 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 readers on a journey to discover how \"swearing\" has come to include both testifying with your hand on the Bible and calling someone a *#$\u0026amp;!* 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. \u003cem\u003eHoly Sh*t\u003c\/em\u003e 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\u003cbr\u003edid in the past? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA gem of lexicography and cultural history, \u003cem\u003eHoly Sh*t\u003c\/em\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMelissa Mohr \u003c\/strong\u003eholds a Ph.D. in Renaissance Literature from Stanford. She won a Mrs. Giles Whiting Fellowship for her dissertation, \u003cem\u003eStrong Language: Oaths, Obscenities, and Performative Language in Early Modern England\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 352\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.9 x 8.2 x 5.4 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 01, 2016\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52066198782253,"sku":"9780190491680","price":22.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/3185\/6429\/files\/holy-sht-a-brief-history-of-swearing-paperback-5826577.webp?v=1780167665","url":"https:\/\/ishookbooks.com\/products\/holy-sh-t-a-brief-history-of-swearing-paperback","provider":"iShook Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}