Samuel Johnson's Insults: A Compendium of Snubs, Sneers, Slights and Effronteries from the Eighteenth-Century Master

by Jack Lynch (Editor)

Lackbrain, oysterwench, wantwit, clotpoll--Samuel Johnson's famous dictionary of 1755 contained some of the ripest insults in the English language. In Samuel Johnson's Insults, Jack Lynch has compiled more than 300 of the curmudgeonly lexicographer's mightiest barbs, along with definitions only the master himself could elucidate. Word lovers will delight in flexing their linguistic muscles with devilishly descriptive vituperations that pack a wicked punch. Many of these zingers have long lain dormant. Some have even come close to extinction. Now they're back in all their prickly glory, ready to be relished once more.

Genres: Nonfiction, Language, Humor, History

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Jesse Field · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johnson, this idler, this coxcomical bellygod. Perhaps every man has, some time in his life, an ambition to be such a wag as Johnson. He was never more than a fribbler towards literary achievement, but scored a place in literary history for being a whoreson grumbler against all louts and wantwits, prigs and jack-puddings, topers and sheepbiters, and trulls and hussies. Why, that crack-brained dandiprat. The merry-andrew. Who wouldn't want such a zany story for the dunces, Scots, and Whigs of the future to make such a fuss over. Fiddle-de-dee!

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been a better book if it had concentrated on Dr Johnson's own insults -- which were in my opinion prime -- rather than on entries in his edition of the dictionary.

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very amusing and informative dicitionary of old fashioned insults that are no longer used. It would be funny to try them out on someone as they probably wouldn't understand!

[Kathleen Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samuel Johnson cracks me up. His stuff is pre - regency era, but definitely a winner for people who write historical English settings because he had a strong influence on the culture.

[keereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun.

[Connie D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fun if you enjoy words, insults, and interesting biographical anecdotes.