Cuss Control: The Complete Book on How to Curb Your Cursing
AuthorJames V. O'Connor
CountryUnited States
SubjectSelf help
PublishedApril 11, 2000, Three Rivers Press
Media typePrint (paperback)
Pages256 pp (first edition, paperback)
ISBN978-0-609-80546-6 [1]

Cuss Control: The Complete Book on How to Curb Your Cursing is a self-help book on how to curb swearing written by James V. O'Connor in 2000.[2] O'Connor, who also founded the Cuss Control Academy of Northbrook, Illinois in 1998, has gained a reputation as a swearing expert and the book has been featured and reviewed in hundreds of media outlets, including Time, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The New York Times, The View, and The O'Reilly Factor.[3][4][5]

Author overview

O'Connor claims he doesn't remember why he started swearing,[6] but he did so prolifically until he became exasperated with the gratuitous use of the "F-word" in movies and public places.[7] In response he founded the Illinois-based[8] Cuss Control Academy in August 1998. The academy quickly received national attention[9] and O'Connor began making presentations to high schools, civic groups, associations, individuals, and employers on how to control bad language habits. He also offered classes.[10][11][12]

In 1999 the campaign landed him on The Oprah Winfrey Show, with Oprah quoting "I swear, and it's the one thing that I really don't like about myself. In a recent survey, 89 percent of the people said swearing is an issue with them. Jim O'Connor runs the Cuss Control Academy, which teaches people how to stop swearing. I agree that swearing is terrible, and I'm going to quit."[8][11][13]

Book overview

While in his fifties O'Connor took time off from his public relations firm O'Connor Communications, Inc. to write Cuss Control, which takes a light-hearted but intent look at the history of swearing, why we do it, and how to control it. He does not condemn profanity, but suggests being discreet about when and where we choose to swear.[14][15] O'Connor chooses to define swearing under two classifications, casual and causal. Casual swearing can be intended humor or lazy language when the speaker doesn't make the effort to use a more meaningful word. Causal swearing is caused by an emotion like pain, anger, or frustration.[16] He also sorts reasons to quit swearing into three clusters; personal, corruption of the language, and societal effects. Personal reasons include trying to maintain a pleasant, respectful, and emotionally in-control image. Swearing can also reflect an abrasive or negative attitude and poor vocabulary.[17] Societal effects include a lack of civility and profanity's ability to instigate violence or unnecessary verbal aggression.[18] O'Connor recommends eliminating casual swearing, working on patience, using alternative words, making points politely, and using volume to make points if necessary.[19] Then friends and co-workers are spared the tension of tirades.[7]

Printing

Three Rivers Press, a division of Random House published the book in April 2000[20] and demand was initially high. Less than two months on shelves and it was into its third printing.[13] Sales began to taper off in 2006, and O'Connor is now self-publishing the book through www.iuniverse.com.[2]

Reception

O'Connor's book expanded the media attention he was already attracting through the Cuss Control Academy, and he is now recognized by the media as one of the few experts on why swearing is commonplace.[13][21] By May 2003 O'Connor had already appeared on more than 85 television shows to cover the book.[5][13] Since then that number has gone over 300,[3][22] including programs such as Oprah, The Today Show, The Early Show, CNN, ABC World News Tonight, The View, CBS Sunday Morning, The O'Reilly Factor, and CBS Evening News.[3][5][20][22] O'Connor has also been interviewed on over 800 radio stations[3] in every English speaking nation in the world, such as South Africa, England, and Australia.[20] The book has been featured in over 750 magazines and newspapers,[3][13][20] including USA TODAY, the Atlanta Constitution The Washington Post, Dallas Morning News, the Los Angeles Times, Knight Ridder News Service, House and Garden,[9] the Los Angeles Times, Time,[23][24] The National Enquirer, The Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Times, Maxim, the Chicago Tribune, The Columbus Dispatch, the Evansville Courier, the San Bernardino County Sun, Biography, Family Circle, and The Wall Street Journal.[13][20]

He's also interviewed in Fuck - A Documentary along with George Carlin, Drew Carey, Ron Jeremy, Miss Manners, Pat Boone, and other celebrities either for or against the word.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ O'Connor, James (April 2006). "James V. O'Connor Bibliography". Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  2. 1 2 Drew, Jonathan (July 17, 2006). "Curses! We seem to be turning into a pack of potty-mouths". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2009-10-15. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Jim and Linda (sic) O'Connor - Developing Comprehensive Campaigns to Sell Your Books". Authors Access. July 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  4. ↑ "James V. O'Connor: Publicist, Author, and Cussing Adversary". PRcrossing. 3 December 2007. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  5. 1 2 3 Osteryoung, Jerry (November 15, 2007). "Profanity in the Workplace". Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship at Florida State University. Archived from the original on June 10, 2010. Retrieved July 3, 2010.
  6. ↑ Sim, Michael (2000). "Expletives deleted". BookPage. Archived from the original on 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  7. 1 2 Brodeur, Nicole (May 11, 2000). "A colorful vocabulary is a curse". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  8. 1 2 Leonard, Bill (November 1, 1999). "Consultant Swear He Can Clean Up Foul Mouths". Allbusiness. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  9. 1 2 "James V. O'Connor - Communicating with Civility". Professional Speakers Bureau International. Archived from the original on 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  10. 1 2 "The Interviews:: FUCK - Four Letter Film". Four Letter Film. Archived from the original on 2010-03-30. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  11. 1 2 Miller, Michael (July 9, 2001). "Curbing cursing at the workplace". The Business Review. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  12. ↑ "Book and Author Publicity Session". Oxford Conference. March 3, 2010. Archived from the original on 22 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Cuss Control Academy is in the News!". Cuss Control Academy. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  14. ↑ Burling, Alexis (January 2007). "Four-letter foul: if you think it's cool to curse, think again. The real test of maturity is learning how to express yourself without resorting to swearing". Scholastic Choices. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  15. ↑ "Bad Language Makeover: Clean It Up, You". Orange Coast. May 2000. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  16. ↑ Goss, Kim (Summer 2002). "Stop Swearing Now!". BiggerFasterStronger. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  17. ↑ Strauss, Valerie (April 12, 2005). "More and More, Kids Say the Foulest Things". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  18. ↑ Morelli, George. "Smart Parenting IV: Cuss Control". OrthodoxyToday.org. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  19. ↑ "Watch your mouth at work... or else". New York Daily News. October 22, 2007. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 "James O'Connor on Profanity". OurBlook. 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-05-25. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  21. ↑ Walker, Sarai (March 2002). "Foul Mouth: Your vocabulary is filled with profanity, here's how to clean up your language". Scholastic Choices. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  22. 1 2 "2010 Writers Institute Instructors". University of Wisconsin at Madison, Wisconsin. 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-06-09. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  23. ↑ Stein, Joel (June 28, 1999). "Stop Cursing...and Start Living!". Time. Archived from the original on January 13, 2005. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  24. ↑ Slatalla, Michelle (April 24, 2000). "My Baby Swears". Time. Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
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