More and more I read Amazon one-star reviews of books written by people who are outraged at the use of "inappropriate language" even if it is only the occasional 4-letter word.

I wonder if they've ever read Shakespeare, that flinger of incredible insults and earthy allusions, as well as the crafter of some of the finest words in the English language. And occasionally all of the above at the same time.

Also I find myself wondering what kind of bowdlerized, sanitized world they inhabit, where no one ever says "damn!" or "shit!" Perhaps they're stuck in a Victorian era time warp, where the most delicate of allusions pertained to some parts of the body and their bodily functions. There were no "legs" but merely "lower limbs", for instance. For the upper classes, anyway.

I do not swear as a regular thing, but I do find that the occasional heartfelt or involuntary expletive does ease the pain. Nor would I downgrade a well-written book merely because the author has put words in characters' mouths which reflect their thoughts and feelings, time and place.

What must it be like to live in a sanitized world, all white picket fences, rainbows and bunnies, perfectly coiffed "girls" mopping the kitchen floor, smiling brightly and extolling the virtues of their favorite floor cleaner, with never a negative word crossing their lips.

Those were the ad images I recall from the 50's. Sick, sick, sick.