Filthy English: The How, Why, When and What of Everyday Swearing

Peter Silverton gives us a well-researched history of cursing, debunking many myths along the way, so that use of the (very funny) index makes this a handy reference for all those 'Where did the word - come from?' arguments. And who would have thought it of Emily Bronte? There are forays into effing on record (long, long before rap) and blinding around the world (from Canadian churches to the Russian underground).