Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing by Melissa Mohr
Details
Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing by Melissa Mohr
This one is a light-hearted history about language and oaths, and a discussion about what we accept in culture and what we find too taboo. It is a little off the beaten path, but it is available in the format of your choice--it just might not be available at the library.
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Bible Park is about a mile east of I-25 on Yale Ave and is easily accessible by both car and light rail. The Highline Canal runs on the east edge of the park if biking is more your speed. You can also exit I-25 on Hampden and hit up Panera, Starbucks, New York Deli News or The Bagel Deli for breakfast snacks before heading north on Monaco to Yale. I think all of them allow ordering ahead.
We'll be in the grass, so remember a blanket or yoga mat to sit on (or a chair, if that's your jam). Look for the big pine trees right off the parking lot for women just hanging out; we're often the only ones.
Please keep your RSVP up to date to make sure we're clearing the waitlist early for people who want to attend. If you haven't been to an event before and have two no-shows or late drops, you will be removed from the group.
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From Goodreads:
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 readers 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 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 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.