For F*ck's Sake

Swearing is indeed shocking, rude, and fun. It’s also puzzling, fascinating, and thought-provoking, as is this marvellous book. * Roger Crisp, Professor of Moral Philosophy, University of Oxford *
With brilliant wit and remarkable skill, Rebecca Roache takes up the linguistic, social, moral, and legal dimensions of swearing. The result is a philosophically sophisticated and highly readable discussion with lots of practical guidance about whether and when we need to watch our mouths. Roache’s wise, funny, and thought-provoking book belongs on everyone’s shelf. * Karen Stohr, Ryan Family Professor of Metaphysics and Moral Philosophy, Georgetown University *
Finally a book that rips the fuck out of the arseholes who claim that swearing is ‘the sign of a poor vocabulary’ or ‘unnecessary.’ Bollocks to them. This book puts those dim wankers right in as serious, intelligent, knowledgeable and hilarious a fashion as the subject deserves. * Stephen Fry *
This is a wonderfully well-written exploration of all aspects of swearing-cultural, linguistic, ethical and political. It’s both insightful and an absolute page-turner, which made me laugh out loud several times-not a very common experience with philosophy books! In short, it’s an excellent fucking book. * Jennifer Saul, Waterloo Chair in Social and Political Philosophy of Language, University of Waterloo *
Roache skillfully probes the complexities of profanity use and its relevance to decorum, identity, and power. This will intrigue linguists and potty-mouthed laypeople alike. * Publishers Weekly *
A lively examination of swearing in all its forms, and although it is often humorous, Roache also has serious points to make…With dry wit and a storyteller’s eye, Roache romps through the history and social meaning of colorful language. * Kirkus Reviews *
[B]oth academic and hilarious. Readers lured in by the title (and its sanitizing asterisk), especially those interested in the farreaching effects of language, and those who love to swear, will find much to ponder. * Laurie Unger Skinner, The Booklist *
A really refreshing and insightful book. * The Debut Digest *
Highly readable and amusing. * Cathleen Mair, Idler *
Highly original … It reveals all kinds of things about how we relate to people and the different ways in which we can communicate, threaten, or tease. I love this book. * Nigel Warburton, Five Books *
This is fucking wonderful. It is written with real verve, wit, and intelligence … a rich, provocative, accessible, and well-informed book. * David Archard, Journal of Applied Philosophy *

Rebecca Roache is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London. She is co-editor, with Julian Savalescu, Will Davies, and J. Pierre Loebel of Psychiatry Reborn. Her work has appeared in places like the BBC, The Guardian, The Times, Harper’s, MIT Technology Review, Aeon, and Slate. Her podcast, The Academic Imperfectionist, draws on philosophy to deal with things like self-doubt and procrastination.

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