The F-Word: Second Edition [Paperback]

Jesse Sheidlower (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 27, 1999

WARNING:  Usually considered vulgar.  X-rated.  Censored.  Bleep.  Not for polite company.  Due to adult language, viewer and parental discretion advised.  Wash your mouth out with soap.  Good boys and girls don't use that kind of language.  Obscene.  Immoral.  Immodest.  And indecent.

IS THIS ALL YOU THINK ABOUT THE F-WORD?  HERE'S THE FULL STORY!

Has any other single word ever sparked so much creativity, and captured so many imaginations?  The F-Word contains page after page of actual, uncensored examples of the word in all its varied and robust use, from its first appearance in English in the fifteenth century to its use in the Starr Report.

This second edition includes many new words and phrases, F-words from Britain, Ireland, and Australia, and hundreds of new examples of usage.  Words, explanations, and examples come from thousands of sources, including Robert Burns, Norman Mailer, E.E. Cummings, Ernest Hemingway, Liz Phair, Jack Kerouac, Anne Sexton, Playboy, and the Internet.

Here is all you've (n)ever wanted to know about the word still considered the most vulgar utterance in the English language--and perhaps one of the most creative, as well.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There's something special about a lexicon in which more than half the entries begin with the same letter. The F-Word earned its title the hard way: editor Jesse Sheidlower and the staff of Random House combed vast numbers of books, magazines, films, and other works for references to the most beloved, least printable word in the English language and all its variations. There's some great reading here among the hundreds of citations, from the colorful dialogue of Gore Vidal to the military's creative use of intensifiers to boost morale. Of special interest are the acronyms and abbreviations incorporating the Word; after reading the entry for "BUFF," you might think twice before complimenting your gym-going friends.

The care and attention each entry receives makes The F-Word a pleasure to use or browse, whether looking up an obscure phrase from an Iceberg Slim book or finding new insults for your next flame war. Ross MacDonald's illustrations are cute and funny (but not pornographic) and help to defuse some of the tension that might result from exposure to undiluted profanity. The F-Word throws much-needed light on one of the most-used English words; if you want to learn to swear correctly, RTFM--Read the [ahem] Manual. --Rob Lightner

Review

"It's fanf--kingtastic." --Time Out New York

" . . .a great service for the English language." --Seattle Weekly

"Hard to read without smiling." --Minneapolis Star Tribune

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Random House Reference; 2 Sub edition (April 27, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375706348
• ISBN-13: 978-0375706349
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,520,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Novelty, Esoteric Reference, And Numbing Read, February 23, 2001

By 

Sir Charles Panther "Life is hard. It's hard... (Alexandria, Virginny, USandA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The F-Word: Second Edition (Paperback)

A big huzzah to the courage of Random House for publishing this crass, uncouth, vulgar, disgusting, arguably sexist, yet interesting and entertaining little book. More than anything it's a novelty, a fun thing to keep on your shelf, lend to a buddy, and from which to draw the perfect quote or phrase for your next dinner party with the Royal Family. This being said, one has to recognize the impressive research and work done by editor Scheidlower; it is comprehensive.

Prospective readers need to keep in mind that this is a dictionary, and as such is structured exactly like any other dictionary, with all of the standard formatting and notation. This makes reading this book slow and jerky, ultimately affecting overall enjoyment. Interesting and useful within the individual entries are chronological notations, providing historical information on the origins and evolution of your favorite f-----g phrases.

The foreword by Roy Blount, Jr. provides the book a touch of literati legitimacy, but is ultimately rambling and unfocused. Sure, it's interesting, but he's not saying anything we don't already know.

The book concludes with a far too brief "Guide To The F-Word In Some Other Languages." Inspired concept, extremely poor execution. No, we don't need hundreds of pages exploring f--k in other languages, but if you're going to provide this little goodie, go the extra mile and complete the work. Yeah, German, French, Spanish, Latin, even Esperanto, Hebrew, and Basque are listed, but where are Sicilian, Corsican, Boer, Swahili, etc.? I've just gotta know!

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First farts, now this! Fan-effin-tastic!, August 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The F-Word: Second Edition (Paperback)

Wow, these effin' publishers are really airing our taboos. I just finished reading Jim Dawson's history of farts ("Who Cut the Cheese?"), and now I'm reading Jesse Sheidlower's equally informative and fun dissertation on the word f-k (can I write it out here?), only this time it's being published by a big time effin' publisher. Good bathroom reading, and it's about time we owned up to our favorite words (and pastimes), and if the bluenoses don't like it, eff 'em!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic item of lexicon with great linguistic value., December 9, 2008

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The F-Word: Second Edition (Paperback)

The F-Word: Second Edition adds nice aesthetic touches and adds more uses of the infamous taboo word F***. An excellent book that I highly recommend to everyone whether or not you become easily offended.