Published in 2025
7 hours
Karen Stollznow is a linguist and the author of On the Offensive (CUP, 2020), Missed Conceptions (2023), God Bless America (2013) and Language Myths, Mysteries, and Magic (2014). She writes for Psychology Today, Scientific American Mind, and The Conversation and has appeared on the History Channel’s History’s Greatest Mysteries and Netflix’s The Unexplained. Karen is currently a researcher at Griffith University and a host of Monster Talk, an award-winning science-based podcast.
What is this book about?
Bitch is a bitch of a word.
It used to be a straightforward insult, but today—after so many variations and efforts to reject or reclaim the word—it’s not always entirely clear what it means. Bitch is a chameleon. There are good bitches and bad bitches; sexy bitches and psycho bitches; boss bitches and even perfect bitches. This eye-opening deep-dive account takes us on a journey spanning a millennium, from its humble beginnings as a word for a female dog through to its myriad meanings today, proving that sometimes you can teach an old dog new tricks. It traces the colorful history and ever-changing meaning of this powerful and controversial word, and its relevance within broader issues of feminism, gender, race, and sexuality. Despite centuries of censorship and attempts to ban it, bitch has stood the test of time. You may wonder: is the word going away anytime soon? Bitch, please.
