Quote

''He''s 100% political herpes. Back in six months whatever you do. Or three days, like last time.'' Camilla Long on Nigel Farage

Quote

''I''m going to beat him so bad he''ll need a shoehorn to put his hat on.'' Muhammed Ali

Introduction

There''s no pleasure like a perfectly turned put-down (when it''s directed at somebody else). Matthew Parris''s sublime collection of the rudest, funniest and most cutting insults in history contains extended literary invective and short verbal shin-kicks, spanning the worlds of art, politics, showbiz, marriage, literature, and taking us on a boisterous journey from ancient Roman graffiti to Twitter''s battles.

Whether you''re looking for the perfect elegant riposte, the rudest polite letter ever written, or a brutal verbal sledgehammer, Scorn draws on masters such as Dorothy Parker, Elizabeth I, Winston Churchill, Princess Anne and Alastair Campbell to show that abuse can be an exquisite art form.