Sample Saturday is when I wade through the eleventy billion samples I have downloaded on my Kindle. I’m slowly chipping away and deciding whether it’s buy or bye.
Swearing Is Good for You: The Amazing Science of Bad Language by Emma Byrne
Why I have it: Listed at the beginning of the year.
Summary: The history of swearing; how it helps us deal with anxiety and pain; and why swearing can be good for you (the author makes a bloody strong case for being foulmouthed).
I’m thinking: No – feel like I got the gist from the introduction (although the bit about the use of fuck and shit as an indicator of whether a football team was winning or losing was interesting).
The Politics of Opera by Mitchell Cohen
Why I have it: Came across it in my opera travels.
Summary: A history of the entwined development of opera and politics.
I’m thinking: No – would like to think I’d have the stamina for this book but I’m also realistic.
Factfulness by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund
Why I have it: Spotted on this list.
Summary: Ten reasons we’re wrong about the world and why things are better than we might think (basically we’re healthier, richer and safer than ever before).
I’m thinking: No – it’s a style thing.
So much swearing going on in this house thanks to our dipshit politicians that we must both be bursting with health.
😂
So that’s why the air over the Bristol Channel is looking blue today…….
Hans Rosling has done a lot of TED talks. They are worth watching.
I’ll check them out – perhaps more compelling than the book??
The Politics of Opera is brilliantly niche – I’ve sent it to a few customers but it is pretty dense…
I really, really love opera but this book is extremely dense… I have a good ‘opera’ friend – might make him read it first!
Much as I’m heartened by the argument of the first one, being quite a sweary soul myself (I rein it in online 😉 ) I can imagine it would soon wear thin in a book. I could do with the last one right now, to help me cope with the daily news – Susan’s comment sums up the situation exactly!
I also love a bit of swearing but I do think the book might have seemed gratuitous by the end.