Using the divisions established by William Strauss and Neil Howe in their theory of a recurring generational cycle in American history, as well as exhaustive research on vocabulary, Allan Metcalf (OK: The Improbable Story of America's Greatest Word) offers what he believes are each era's defining words in the American lexicon. From Skedaddle to Selfie ushers readers from 1742 to the present, correlating terms to the populations' characteristics, citing usage examples and etymology in support of the choices.
Metcalf acknowledges that his collection isn't exhaustive, but he does a thorough job of representing the cultural distinctiveness of each generation. Through his analysis, readers can see influences such as music, politics, fashion and technology on the people of the United States.
The words chosen for each generation are not necessarily the first time they've been used; rather, they're chosen because they're at the height of their use, such as self-esteem assigned to the Baby Boomers (1943-1960), or they attain their modern definition in that era, like boyfriend and girlfriend did in the G.I. Generation (1901-1924). And sometimes the words connect generations--for example the shortened language associated with texting isn't new to the Millennial Generation (1982-2004), but can be seen all the way back in the Transcendental Generation (1792-1821) with the manifestation of O.K.
Injecting humorous analogies and examples throughout, Allan Metcalf has compiled a fascinating look at the language of certain periods on the U.S. timeline. Readers will see the birth, evolution and, to some degree, the diminishment of terms. From Skedaddle to Selfie is sure to be a hit with any word lover. --Jen Forbus of Jen's Book Thoughts