Dangerous crooked scoundrels Insulting the president, from Washington to Trump

Despite what some people may believe, the art of the presidential insult has been around since the time of George Washington, and every president since then, no matter how popular, has dealt with criticism and insulting comments. Battistella (Southern Oregon Univ.) takes readers on a delightful tour of US presidents, highlighting the names they were called and the insults and critiques they faced from their colleagues and the media of the day. Part linguistics text, part history, and part humor, this is an easy-to-read, enjoyable book, accessible to every reader and particularly timely given the current political climate. Battistella includes samples of political cartoons, quotes from the presidents and their political adversaries, and a comprehensive catalog of presidential insults at the back of the text, so readers can see which presidents were labeled with the same insulting terms. The author also discusses how each president reacted to the insults: some fired back, whereas others kept quiet or ignored them. A fascinating read for historians, linguists, and students of journalism in particular, but of interest to all. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers. --Patti J. Kurtz, Minot State University

Battistella (linguistics & writing, Southern Oregon University, Ashland; Bad Language: Are Some Words Better Than Others?) presents a short but insightful and informative history of presidential insults ("phrases or actions that express contempt or derision") in an engaging, sometimes anecdotal style, that teaches readers the difference between criticism and insult. Moving chronologically through every U.S. presidency, investigating how each leader came into office and what was said (insultingly) of every one of them, while interspersing an occasional "etymological exploration" in which an arcane word or phrase is explained in greater historical context, the author reveals how Kim Jong Un's reference to Donald Trump as a dotard revived a 19th-century insult also applied to Andrew Jackson and James Buchanan. Most readers are likely to find the sections on recent leaders the most pertinent. The final chapter is a categorized glossary of presidential insults followed by a useful list of sources. VERDICT This authoritative handbook reveals how insults have always been a part of American politics--and not owing to current political tensions in Washington.--Herbert E. Shapiro, Boca Raton, FL