Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever by John McWhorterMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
It’s a delightful read that is extremely fluid and fun, peppered with humour but accompanied by serious etymological discussion. The hook of having it discuss words that cannot be used in polite company is why I started reading, but I kept reading because of how enjoyable the book was to read.
The histories, parallels and contextual discussions are well-presented, while never compromising on notes and remarks. It ranges from old poetry to Looney Toons and modern day speeches by politicians, and everything in between, making convincing statements backed by fact.
If one is linguistically inclined, a book that will definitely be fun and informative.
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