it's worse than the n- word for African Americans.

A recently-published book is devoted entirely to tracing that single n-word -- which is the book's title. The author is a graduate of Princeton College and Yale Law School, a former Rhodes Scholar and currently on faculty at harvard Law School -- and is black. I've not had a chance to read the book thoroughly, but it appears both fascinating and profoundly disturbing.

The idea of the book first emerged when author Randall Kennedy searched the Lexis/Nexis database and found the slur in 4,219 reported court decisions. ("Honky" was second, with 286.) [Note: in general, the court is using that word in quoting nasty remarks, by a party, that led to the lawsuit.]

Review at http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?isbn=0375421726