The F-word

In his foreword to Sheidlower's The F-Word, Lewis Black observes, "This wondrous book [is] about the most important and powerful word in the English language"--the four-letter word beginning with F. Sheidlower's volume claims to contain "every sense of" the word "and every compound word or phrase of which [it] is a part." Entries are illustrated with examples of the usage of the word in its context. Drawn from the Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed. on CD-ROM, CH, Feb'03, 40-3118), the volume proceeds alphabetically from the adverb "absofuckinglutely" and concludes with the noun "zipless fuck." Most of the examples are drawn from American usage of the last 20 years and especially the Northeast coast. There is no room for regional variations found, for instance, in East Sussex (UK), where the River Adur provides a foundation for "fucking Adur." Examples of usage accumulate; no analysis is offered, and no indexes of authors drawn upon. Very few examples from, e.g., D. H. Lawrence or Harold Pinter, are included. The introduction does at least discuss the word's history and etymology, its "taboo status," and its lack of use, e.g., in Shakespeare. All in all, a volume to appeal to voyeurs with opportunities missed. It is best suited to general readers rather than serious analytical students of language and literature. Summing Up: Recommended. With reservations. General readers. W. Baker Northern Illinois University