Here is a wonderful Baedeker to down-and-dirty politics--more than six hundred slang terms straight from the smoke-filled rooms of American political speech. Hatchet Jobs and Hardball: 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 a bloc of like-minded voters by redistricting) and fair-fight district (which refers to areas redistricted to favor no political party). Each entry includes the definition of the word, its historical background, and illuminating citations, some going back more than 200 years. (We learn, for instance, that a term as seemingly current as political football actually dates back to before the Civil War.) Selected entries will have extended encyclopedic notes. The book also features sidebar essays on topics such as political words in Blogistan; a short history of "big cheese"; all about chads and the 2000 election; the suffix "-gate" and all the related Watergate terms; and the naming of legislation. Political junkies, policy wonks, journalists, and word lovers will find this book addictive reading as well as a reliable guide to one of the more colorful corners of American English.
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"A handy phrase-book to help us understand the yammering of the Beltway's chatterati."--Wall Street Journal
"Those seriously concerned with the vitality of our wonky Beltway blather may want to skip the next agriculture-subsidy roundtable to train their bifocals on 'Hatchet Jobs and Hardball'.... There, with some imagination, you can freshen your lexicon with some forgotten or fairly obscure, but nevertheless serviceable, bits of political argot. Impress your fellow sheeple!"--Tom Kuntz, The New York Times
"An entertaining and informed lexicon of 600 words and phrases describing both current and past political activities and the politicos who made them happen...a most useful state-of-the-slang compendium."--Library Journal
"Word lovers and miners for old terms of art that deserve new life will find delight here.... The book has a short introduction by James Carville and Mary Matalin. And in addition to nearly 300 pages of citations, Mr. Barrett includes eight brief essays,
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4.1 out of 5 stars
8 reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hate Politics. Dig the book.
16 Sep 2004
By Not real name
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I really don't like political slang basically because I never know what the hell people from the "beltway" are talking about on the news. I finally have a resource that will tell me what one of those cloistered freaks taking charge of my government are talking about.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
a timely dictionary!
16 Sep 2004
By S. Kolowrat
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I was given this book as a gift, and was a little shocked - as I love words, but I am not necessarily very politically minded...although I am trying - and I found this book to be truly enjoyable! I can use it when I try to seem "up" on politics and people are impressed! I have enjoyed reading the stories of where and when the terms started to come into use, and it's all thoughtful and well written!
4.0 out of 5 stars
Best Political Language Book Available Anywhere
16 Sep 2004
By Barry A. Popik
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Grant Barrett's HATCHET JOBS AND HARDBALL is the best political language book available anywhere.
I must admit that I know Barrett, and some of my work can be found here as the earliest citations for "beep" and "John Q. Public" and more.
With respect to the "Windy City" comments below, this is not a book of regional political slang. There are many thousands of short-lived, localized political words and phrases and nicknames. To record them all would be exhausting, probably impossible and probably pointless. This is a national book, intended for a modern audience.
Barrett has used the latest word-searching technology (Pro Quest Historical Newspapers and NewspaperArchive, for example) that has been available only in the past year. The book's citations are exhaustive and up-to-date, the best that can be found.
The book is clearly laid out and easy to flip through. It does what it promises to do, and for that receives four stars.
Only a "piebiter" could ask for more. Look it up!
I must admit that I know Barrett, and some of my work can be found here as the earliest citations for "beep" and "John Q. Public" and more.
With respect to the "Windy City" comments below, this is not a book of regional political slang. There are many thousands of short-lived, localized political words and phrases and nicknames. To record them all would be exhausting, probably impossible and probably pointless. This is a national book, intended for a modern audience.
Barrett has used the latest word-searching technology (Pro Quest Historical Newspapers and NewspaperArchive, for example) that has been available only in the past year. The book's citations are exhaustive and up-to-date, the best that can be found.
The book is clearly laid out and easy to flip through. It does what it promises to do, and for that receives four stars.
Only a "piebiter" could ask for more. Look it up!
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