The Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang

by Grant Barrett

Book Overview

The Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang illuminates a rich and colorful segment of our language. Readers will find informative entries on slang terms such as "Beltway bandit" and "boondoggle," "angry white male" and "leg treasurer," "juice bill" and "Joe Citizen," "banana superpower" and "the Big Fix." We find not only the meaning and history of familiar terms such as "gerrymander," but also of lesser-known terms such as "cracking" (splitting...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195304470
• ISBN13: 9780195304473
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 322 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.1" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

smart fun

As a writer for an ad agency, I have a collection of "word books" I use as a distraction during moments of boredom or stress. Today I picked up The Official Dictionary of Unofficial English and within the first few pages it transitioned from distraction to pure entertainment. Words which made me laugh, smile, reminisce, gross-out, and reflect were suddenly buzzing in my brain. My advice: grab a copy and enjoy.

excellent, excellent, excellent

Got this in the mail today. A reader of Barrett's website, the double-tongued wordwrester, this is exactly what I'd hoped for -- a serious, scholarly book, but with edgy content that is often just plain fun. Interesting introductory essay that includes a discussion of Barrett's methodology in finding new words on the internet. Great for the coffee table and liesurely rainy-day browsing.