Cary Library in Houlton will host a streamed lecture and discussion on Melissa Mohr’s book on the history of swearing from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 28.
Swearing is a fascinating linguistic phenomenon. How did certain words come to acquire the power to shock and offend us? Why are they the ones we turn to when we hit our thumb with a hammer, offer advice to other drivers, or indeed want to or express
any kind of strong emotion, whether negative or positive? And swearing is also interesting for what it can tell us about culture. People swear about what they care about, so a history of swearing is also a history of what has mattered most to people through the centuries — the divine, the terrifying and the taboo.
Facilitator will be Glenn Hines, owner of Hines Sculpture and Stonework. Hines, a longtime learner and avid reader, holds a degree in philosophy and English. He will lead a short discussion before the lecture. Afterwards, a discussion will be offered for questions and observations.
Mohr has also written for the “Guardian,” the Sunday Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Huffington Post, and salon.com, and is working on a new book, about friendship. She has a Ph.D. in English literature from Stanford University.
