Reviewed by Stacey O’Brien, Texas Tech University

In Toward a rhetoric of insult, David Conley does not provide a theory of insult, but rather a reflective discussion of a topic that has heretofore received little scholarly attention. Arguing for an understanding of insult as a type of rhetoric, he seeks to reveal the pervasiveness of this human behavior and identify the significant impact, both unifying and divisive, that it has on human interaction.

In Ch. 1, ‘The range of insult’ (1–29), C provides a framework analyzing insults in terms of intensity, or level of hurtfulness; scenario, or surrounding context; and vehicle, or style and delivery. Insult terms and gestures are surveyed from several languages to exemplify this categorization and reveal their crosslinguistic prevalence. He discusses the style and creativity insults exhibit through tropes and figures. Insults are also shown to resist labeling as inherently abusive given their varied uses. C then highlights how the intent and context of an insult are often overlooked.

Ch. 2, ‘Traditional principles of insult’ (31–95), considers both the commonality of insult subject matter, regardless of time or genre, and the rhetoric in insults that appeals to the values and commonplaces of one’s community. C cites insults from historical figures like Cicero, Martial, and Shakespeare, each of whom carefully molded audience expectations and employed dramatic argument structures to gain public support for their insults. He also discusses the rhetorical impact of more varied insults (like Monty Python’s), the visual imagery of political cartoons and caricatures, and the verbal sparring matches common in some African American communities. Through these examples, C highlights the way insults create authority, rely heavily on an intimate familiarity with one’s audience, and belittle opponents while uniting those with common beliefs.

Ch. 3, ‘Beyond ‘traditional’ rhetoric’ (97–126), discusses the need for a new understanding of rhetoric in order to accurately interpret insult. C portrays insults as persuasive tools that convince audiences of their superiority over others, thereby generating support and shared identities. Identities of superiority allow groups to create new hierarchies of power and interrogate and reinforce existing ones. C claims that such tactical uses of insults justify their rhetorical interpretation and highlight the integral role they play in culture and society.

Overall, C provides a significant amount of data and a thoroughly-researched discussion that should appeal to a broad audience and serve as a helpful resource for further study. His work challenges the common notion of insults as purely divisive, redefining them as creative hallmarks of social interaction. C also demonstrates the highly persuasive and functional application of insults, creating a unique and convincing argument for a rhetorical approach to them. More importantly, this work is among the first scholarly discussions of insults, a field that has been largely overlooked in previous linguistic research.

Reviewed by Dieter Aichele, Fachhochschule Worms

A better pencil illustrates the significance of today’s digital reading and writing tools as part of five thousand years of literacy. Dennis Baron, professor of English and linguistics at the University of Illinois, starts with oral history and early writing in ancient Europe. He shows how the written record provoked fears and changed oral tradition forever. At the time philosophers and scholars feared that writing would corrupt the value of the spoken word, despite its being initially used mainly for administrative purposes. Ironically we only know of these fears today because they were written down.

Writing and literacy were refined and improved successively by such developments as the pencil, printing press, telegraph, telephone, typewriter, electronic calculator, word processor, and the internet. B considers all of these just a kind of technology that he views in light of the mixed reception of all technological inventions and new ideas throughout history, which have been greeted with high expectations and uncertainty, prejudice, and even fear.

At the same time, human beings have learned to adopt and either adapt or adapt to new technology as needed. Not all inventions last (e.g. typewriters), while others are used in parallel with new tools (e.g. pencils and even handwriting). Thus, for B today’s digital text culture of word processing, search engines, internet bookshops, diaries, blogs, social networking, and the like is just another evolutionary step in the history of literacy.

For B, the digital revolution is noteworthy in  its faster development than earlier technologies and in making writing easily accessible to more readers and writers. The internet offers a platform for writers and easy access for readers regardless of space and time. It has also greatly affected views of what is public and private and of freedom of information. Ever more public information is transported into the lives of private individuals. At the same time internet companies try to gather information about people’s private lives to use in marketing and product development. As in the past, this new development is accompanied by enthusiasm and scepticism. Only the future will show what will last and what will not.

The book includes a number of illustrations showing technological milestones in writing. An index of keywords is given at the end of the book.