This exhaustive work on flatulence breaks new wind on every aspect of abdominal gas in popular culture. A definitive taxonomy of farts details the characteristics of each variety, including barking spiders, cheek squeakers and green apple dirties. Philosophical positions on colonic expression are examined, from Confucius, Hume, Voltaire and the existentialists. Chapters cover a wide range of fart-focused stand-up comedy, cinema, children’s books, toys and merchandise. The author’s postscript describes a lifetime preparing for his subject through fraternity membership and offbeat assignments as a newspaper journalist.

Don H. Corrigan is the editor emeritus for the Webster-Kirkwood Times weekly newspapers in St. Louis, where he has written on the outdoors and environment for four decades. He is a professor emeritus of Webster University, where he directed student studies for the school’s Outdoor/Environmental Journalism Certificate. He lives in St. Louis.

Don H. Corrigan
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 216
Bibliographic Info: 30 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2023
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9196-1
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5028-9
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents


Acknowledgments ix

Introduction. Clearing the Air: Fart Disinformation 1

 1. Covid Conspiracy: “Not Silent, But So Deadly” 9

 2. Fanning the Flames of Fart Conspiracies 18

 3. Farts Classified: Spiders, Ducks, and Squeakers 35

 4. Tormented Gas Passer: Know Thyself 48

 5. Briefly Explained: Farts in Literature 60

 6. Noise Over Children’s Fart Books 70

 7. News Coverage: Law and Odor 78

 8. Breaking Bad: Entertainment Media 87

 9. Farts in Film: Memorable Masterpieces 98

10. Merchandising of Fart Gifts 119

11. Farts: All About Male Bonding? 129

12. Farting Goddesses Air Grievances 139

13. Protest Farts: We Shall Not Be Moved 149

14. Waxing Philosophically About Farts 158

Postscript: For the Love of Farting 170

Chapter Notes 185

Bibliography 195

Index 199

Finalist, Oddest Book Title of the Year—The Guardian’s Diagram Prize