I honestly didn’t know what to expect going in to this book. I received an ALC on NetGalley and was interested by the title and blurb.

I learned so much and enjoyed the different stages of b\tch and the history behind it and how our society has shaped it.

This journey was b/tchn’

(5.0 Stars)

Thank you to #NetGalley for making this audiobook available for reading and review.

This book was well researched and entertaining. Narrated by the author, and performed expertly.

If you like etymology, or even just like listening to the history of "bad words", you should find this book enjoyable. The author included history, pop culture references, and adjacent related words so this is a complete look at the word as both, insult and inspiration... and everything in between.

The etymological journey of the word bitch: its origins, how it’s used against women, in favor of women (tea parties 🫖), and how its meaning has changed in different settings (LGBTQIA+ during different periods, prison, feminism). The book also addresses words used against men and discusses how they sting less than insults against women because men are rewarded for being tough. The worst insults men can get are those that allude to femininity, micropenises, or that they are gay (sissy, faggot, SDE, you know it).

My favorite discussion was when the author challenged whether women should be taking ownership of the word bitch. She explains how all the boss bitches and what’s up bitches use a word that has sexist connotations. I wish the author had chewed more on this because it was interesting, but she dropped the topic and moved on too quickly.

I found the book interesting but a little redundant at times. Nonfiction can be entertaining, and I found this one to be a little dry; I wasn’t very engaged. It started interesting discussions and dropped them before making a point. And sometimes it would go on tangents that were interesting but not really relevant to the book.

I am a woman raised in an entirely female family, and we use the word bitch in a joking/loving manner to each other. As I got older, I realized that this was not how most people took the word. Then I met my now-fiance (a cis man), who refuses to use the word because he knows of it's connotations coming from him.

This was... fine. I learned a lot. It was just, extremely straight forward about all the different ways that bitch is and was used. It was more linguistic than I would have liked, and I feel like the word bitch has so much to it, that this book could have benefitted from some sociological examination. I didn't hate it, but I did get a little bored toward the end. That all being said, it was a short read, so I did ultimately finish it.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book explores the history of the word "bitch", as well as related words for comparison. Not a book I would get away with talking about casually before or after story hour at work, but I'm definately telling people about it.

I always love “a history-“ style nonfiction books so when i saw this book was coming out I had to request it! So thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audio copy of this book. It was a quick and easy read providing a fascinating history of the word Bitch. I also liked how the word mentioned other curse words and derogatory words and how they came to be because they are all intrinsically tied together.

Talk about the history of a word and the development through out the ages. Filled with interesting facts, changes in spelling as well as how the word developed meaning and changed. Definitely full of wit and humor as well as a well researched and written book. Thank you to Karen Stollznow, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley

Karen Stollznow explores the origins and evolution of the word bitch in a surprisingly engaging and insightful way. I wasn’t expecting to learn this much about the complexity behind a word we often take at face value.

Her narration adds a great personal touch, and her Aussie voice gives the content a unique charm. A great listen and genuinely informative.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Bitch: The Journey of a Word is a fun, fascinating, and powerful story that traces the history and meaning of the word.

This was a wonderful read. Filled with history and humor, the book was as entertaining as it was informative. The pacing was fast, and the content was well-researched. Karen Stollznow’s prose was sharp and thoughtful. I had an excellent time exploring the origin, history, and future of the word bitch through this empowering book. I highly recommend it!

Karen Stollznow narrated her book wonderfully. She delivered an entertaining, engaging performance, and I loved experiencing the story through her voice. I recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

A very informative guide to the emp0owering etymology of the word 'bitch'. A little repetitive in places but was a very entertaining and enlgihtening read.

So usually when you look up the meaning and background of a word it's a pretty short entry -- this entire, regular sized book really is just about the word bitch. I found that pretty impressive. The author does the audiobook, which doesn't always work, but she had an interesting accent and you could feel her passion for presenting all this information.
It isn't just about the word itself, although it's fascinating how this short word has changed in meaning over the years, but Stollznow also talks about the effects in pop culture, including classic movies. I would recommend reading this in chunks because there is so much information about one topic.

Thought this was a fun listen. I didn't know the word bitch had such a long history. It was informative and made me chuckle a bit. I enjoyed listening

What a masterful breakdown (and takedown) of the word "bitch."

Stollznow waltzes us through the history of the term, how it's been used, and what it means across different times, places, and people. Ultimately, I found this text deeply satisfying: confirming most of my held beliefs about the word and why we shouldn't use it, while also adding nuance and context that I wasn't aware of. I appreciated the intersections of class and race, as well.

I recently reviewed another book, a YA novel, where I bemoaned the use of the word. This text just cements my perspective. What great timing! "Bitch" does have its place in history and on occasion even in modern vernacular, but it's largely a deeply sexist word, and mostly we still use it that way. Here's some of my favourite exceptions: bitchin'! Nightbitch! Bad bitch (thanks Bey!) and Bitch Magazine!

The narration by the author was superb. Absolutely no complaints. Stellar delivery.