Pamela Paul, “Raising Children Is Heck” (New York Times Week in Review, May 22, 2011)
What could account for the fervent embrace [of “Go the F**k to Sleep”]? After all, swearing is hardly new — unprintable words now grace the titles of Broadway shows and hit songs. It is surprising that a swear word “can still have any kind of transgressive power at this point, but it does — in certain contexts,” said Ben Zimmer, a linguist. “Given our current middle class culture, with its emphasis on exposing your children to positive influences, the book feels subversive.”
Read the rest here.