Not a list of the conditions that bring forth strong epitaphs, which would be better suited to a humorous circulating email message. Jay (psychology, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts) has dedicated his career to investigating cursing. Here he outlines the neuro-psycho-social theory of cursing; looks at the psychological, social and cultural factors underlying it; and explores why cursers choose the words they do. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)