Samuel Johnson's Insults: A Compendium of Snubs, Sneers, ... (ISBN 0802777325)

Over three hundred of Samuel Johnson's nastier barbs:
Over three hundred of Samuel Johnson's nastier barbs and their meanings are gathered from his various writings under one cover to appeal to modern readers seeking new ways of insulting. Quotes are often accompanied not just by definitions but insights into the source of the barb or quip, revealing further insights into Samuel Johnson's works and life as well. Samuel Johnson's Insults: A Compendium of Snubs, Sneers, Slights and Effronteries from the Eighteenth-Century Master is highly entertaining and enthusiastically recommended reading.

Beware of 'backfriends' Amusing:
This is an amusing collection of the 'snubs, sneers, slights and effronteries' by the 'Great Cham'. Lynch arranges them in alphabetical order and adds his own interesting commentary on their origins. In writing for instance of 'backfriends' that is of friends who behind the back to others speak about their friend in ways not friendly at all. He tells us the story of Boswell's resentment of Hester Thrale whom Johnson gave more time with him, and his revenge on her by filling his 'Life of Johnson' with insulting remarks about her. These led her to say that if all friends are like Johnson one should have no friends at all. This is an amusing work especially for those who love the study of Language and all its unending varieties and duplicities.

As Intelligent as a Shovel Beaten Weasel.:
Please don't waste your time, or, more importantly, your hard earned money on this compendium of excrement. The barbs and sneers in this book were of the grade school variety. Anyone with a minimum of a double digit I.Q. could be far more imaginative and impressive with less effort than would be needed to turn one page in this *book*. Samuel Johnson was a man of extreme bias and prejudice, and most often without basis or reason; all of which shine through clearly in a few of the more *enlightening* barbs and sneers. The only sneer connected to this travesty of bound paper was the one I wore while being forced to peruse it by a well meaning colleague.

fantastic:
should be required reading for all politicians-if we have to listen to them trading insults,they might, at least,be witty!

Insults? Maybe, but very mild:
The book is a useful guide to the way its many words were once used. I looked for an occasional surprise in the word list, but didn't find many.