Four-Letter Nation: The Long Dirty History of American Profanity

The untold story of how America really talks, for readers of Mary Roach and Bill Bryson—and anyone who’s ever wondered about the power of “bad” words.

For 400 years, Americans have been told to watch their language. For 400 years, the’ve refused to listen.

Four-Letter Nation reveals the hidden history behind America’s most forbidden words—and why they’ve never really been forbidden at all. This isn’t a simple tale about prohibition giving way to permissiveness. It’s the surprising truth abou...