Customer Reviews (8)

Indispensable insights.
Like another reviewer, I've used the quotes from this "Handbook" in countless emails, postings on message boards and so forth.
The remarks are culled from the works of well-known figures like Oscar Wilde, and lesser-known thinkers like Errico Malatesta.
This book illustrates, among other things, why the establishment has made such an effort to mis-define "anarchism," which isn't about chaos and violence, but is actually a sophisticated ideology of human freedom and cooperation.
I'll simply share this quotation from Rudolf Rocker, from his book, "Anarchism and Anarcho-Syndicalism":
Power operates only destructively, bent always on forcing every manifestation of social life into the straitjacket of its rules.Its intellectual expression is dead dogma, its physical form brute force.And this unintelligence of its objectives sets its stamp on its representatives also, and renders them often stupid and brutal, even when they were originally endowed with the best talents.One who is constantly striving to force everything into a mechanical order at last becomes a machine himself and loses all human feelings.
It was from this understanding that modern anarchism was born and draws its moral force.Only freedom can inspire men to great things and bring about intellectual and social transformations.The art of ruling men has never been the art of educating and inspiring them to a new shaping of their lives.Dreary compulsion has at its command only lifeless drill, which smothers any vital initiative at its birth and brings forth only subjects, not free men.Freedom is the very essence of life, the impelling force in all intellectual and social development, the creator of every new outlook for the future of mankind.The liberation of man from economic exploitation and from intellectual, social, and political oppression, which finds its highest expression in the philosophy of anarchism, is the prerequisite of the evolution of a higher social culture and a new humanity."

For more on Rocker, I'd recommend this book that Noam Chomsky does the preface for. Anarcho-Syndicalism: Theory and Practice (Working Classics)

Great reference
I found this was a fantastic reference book for finding quotations to use in college papers.There are lots and lots of great quotes that will back up your point or exemplify someone else's.A lot of them are by very famous people too.

After I used this book a couple times for papers I found it too alluring to put it down, and I read the whole thing.This is a very well compiled collection of quotations that are organized by ideas to make quotes easy to find for papers.

If you're a fan of critical thinking you should check this book out at your library, and then you'll probably want to buy it.

Aaron

absolutely indispensable--and addictive as heck
I purchased Bufe's eclectic collection of banter and agitprop some three(+) years ago, and haven't tired of it one bit. Initially, I thought it might be a good resource for writing, which it is, but was surprised to find myself constantly picking it up between projects, thumbing through it while on the phone, etc.

My only misgivings, as mild as they are, concern Bufe's, at times, transparent partisanship. Favoring Anarchism, he seems to present its patron saints (Bakunin, Goldman, et al.) in a more generous light than Marxists and other Socialists--and his representative sample of Christians and Christian thought flirts (tirelessly) with the straw-person fallacy. (Don't believe the hype--Jesus was a Socialist)

All in all, 'The Handbook' is a progressive's gold mine; I highly recommend it to any thoughtful person.

Boring, boring, boring
i bought this book because a)i colelct quotes and b)it sounded controversial. Boy was i ever disappointed

Do you know what an anarchist is? There are punks who sing down with the government. There are workers who hate government rules and taxes. There are business men who want an end to regulations. And then there are "intellectuals" who use big words to fill hundreds of pages on steady state economies and the like. Remember Karl Marx, the long winded Marxist who droned on about the proletariat, the bourgeious (sp?) and the formation of capital? This book reads just like that

While i suppose these are, technically, quotes, most are several paragraphs long. Is it really a book of quotes when each quote is half a page long? You certainly aren't going to be memorizing any of these - they are way too long

These quotes aren't controversial, unless of course your audience loves to use the word proletariat. Most of these quotes are just plain confusing. And they're all boring. Boring, boring, boring

The book is horribly one sided. It's not biased towards liberals, it's biased towards long winded "intellectuals" who like big words and vague concepts

Bottom line, you won't be quoting these in conversation, using them in term papers or discussing them at group functions. i'm hard pressed to say when you would ever use these quotes - they're just so long and elitistly boring. i really wanted to like a book with a name like "the heretics book of quotations", but i just couldn't

Great Stuff!
I love this book. I originaly bought it just for shits and giggles- but I've ended up using it for spicing up many articles and countless e-mails. An essential piece of reference material for the anarchist, atheist,dissident and all around provocateur. ... Read more

Book Description
Handy desk-reference offers over 750 witty quotations.A resource for writers, readers, speakers and anyone who likes to have a perfect line on hand, this marvelous and affirming book features humorous words from the famous and infamous including Charlie Chaplin, Dr. Seuss, Bill Cosby, John Cleese, George Burns, et al.Black and white drawings throughout. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A great gift book!
Allen is both funny and kind, as all who hear him speak quickly learn. So it's no surprise that his selection of sayings and anecdotes reflect those virtues. This is a great gift book.

Did not live up to title
From the title, I thought this would be a book of humorous quotes.It had mostly quotes about humor, most of which may have been thought-provoking, but not that funny.Certainly nothing that would cheer me up when I am feeling down.I gave the book away and regretted buying it.

Light-hearted, upbeat quotes to cheer up a dull day!
More than 750 upbeat, humorous quotations.

Quotations on laughter, play, jokes, wit, frivolity, amusement and other topics will make you smile, giggle, or even laugh out loud--and if the quotes don't, the whimsical illustrations by Monica Sheehen will. But the quotes aren't just funny, they are intended to lift your spirits. Many make you think even while you are smiling.

If you need cheering up, or you're having a bad day, this is the book for you!

Cheers!
This little but mighty book is both a personal and a professional gift. One can turn to any page and find a quip for a little "pick me up."As a speaker and workshop presenter on the health benefits of humor, I find this book a valuable tool to emphasize ideas.For instance...."Humor is not a condiment. It's a main course.It's not a trinket; it's a gem. It doesn't need justification; it's essential." Gene Perret.The quotations are alphabetized by subject matter and that makes it easy to find sayings pertaining to a certain concept.

Supplement with The Complete Guide to the Book of Proverbs.
All the quotations are positive &/or humorous and useable for a family type audience. From George Burns there is "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city." From WillRogers comes "I don't make jokes. I just watch the government andreport the facts." If you collect positive quotes for personal use orpublic speaking another great resource is THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE BOOK OFPROVERBS by Cody Jones. It has a topical guide with 96 topics arrangedalphabetically. Each topic is amplified by one or more verses from the bookof Proverbs. There is also an in-depth commentary with many historicaldrawings that give you a sense of the culture of the time. In the back are6 popular translations of Proverbs in parallel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Thanks George!
This is a great book that I will treasure for years and years to come. The great thoughts of the ages wonderfully compiled by a very wise man. From Ghandi and Wordsworth to Christ and Thoreau. WOW!

Thanks George!

The Great Quotations by George Seldes
This is an excellent work for literature majors, history buffs,
speechwriters, current events enthusiasts and a host of other
academics and professionals. Here are some gems:
o The great artist is the simplifier. (Ariel)
o The goal of all life is death. (Freud)
o Let us dare to read, think, speak and write. (Adams)
o All men naturally desire knowledge. (Aristotle)
o The wretched souls of those who lived
Without or praise or blame. (Dante)
o The greatest intellectual capacities are only found in
connection with a vehement and passionate will.(Schopenhauer)

Buy this book to round out your general knowledge of literature,
world leaders and the great speeches of our time and times past. ... Read more

Book Description
It was never easier to find wise, witty, though-provoking quotations.  The pocket-sized refernece work puts an exiting variety of signifigant quotations in an easy-to-find form.  Chosen to provide the widest possible selection of topics and range of quotations, the 4,800 entreis vary from provacative to inspirational, from serious to witty to humorous.  For public speakers, writers, clergymen, businessmen, or anyone who enjoys the well-spoken thought, this compact, accessible work is filled with wonderful quotations to use or just to enjoy.  Lightweight and portable, quotations from the Talmud, The Bible, American presidents, famous authors, world leaders, philosophers, and more.  Alphabetically arranged by subject heading, author index and subject index, fully cross-referenced to help locate additional quotations, easy-to-use-format. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

I Use this Quotation Dictionary for Speaking Engagements

The reason why I use the Laurel Instant Quotation Dictionary is primarily because it's"

Handy
Alphabetically arranged
Easy to Carry Easy to use
Very well organized
Enough reference ideas including inspirational words from the Talmud, World Leaders, Authors and The Bible.

I don't care how many times I have to stand in front of a class of graduating Seniors, a hungry crowd of educated business men and women or a small group of CEO's and speak using references that are relevant it's always easier when I can quote someone from my instant Quotation Dictionary.

All wise people quote somebody and I'm not sure if my Daddy use to say that.But I thank GOD for my Dad because he use to always send us to the dictionary when we didn't know how to spell something.I'm sure he would approve of The Laurel Instant Qutotation Dictionary.

Always an inspiration!
I always use one or two statements from this little handy book, to inspire or encourage my colleagues and or friends. Now, a friend of mine wanted to buy it, I think I have to buy one and airmail it to her in Israel. ... Read more

Book Description
First published in 1997, The Book of Positive Quotations has sold more than 200,000 combined trade copies. This new edition has been expanded to include 3,000 new quotations (10,000 total) from 1,300 additional authors. One of four books in Fairview Press' popular Positive Quotation series. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
Now including thousands of new quotations, this bestselling compilation of business wit and wisdom is the ultimate desk reference for speakers, writers, CEOs, managers, and employees alike.

This handsome collection, featuring nearly 2,000 new quotations, new topics, and a fresh new look, is a trove of enlightening and useful witticisms about the world of business, drawn from across the centuries and all corners of the globe. It features a wide range of germane wisdom from such contemporary luminaries as Katherine Graham, Susan Sontag, Bill Gates, Ronald Reagan, Fran Lebowitz, Gore Vidal, and Donald Trump alongside timeless quotes from Ovid, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Gertrude Stein, Mahatma Gandhi, Henry Ford, Helen Keller, John D. Rockefeller, Oscar Wilde, J.R.R. Tolkien, Virginia Woolf, George Bernard Shaw, and thousands of others—not to mention hundreds of quotes from the Forbes men themselves. Fully indexed for easy use as a speaker’s or writer’s reference, this inspiring volume comes straight from the most trusted and widely read business magazine of all time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Food for the general
I love collections of quotations and every page of this book is rich in ideas and sayings.
As with all considerable selections of quotations there is so much here to ponder, that one can never really hope to finish the book.
One drops in here and there, and gets pleasure from the reading. One quotation strikes and seems like a great truth one has always known but never articulated- another seems blatantly false- still another opens up new worlds.
As a non- businessman I do not know how useful these quotations will be to the managers and money- makers but I think anyone who enjoys a good thought will get a lot of pleasure and insight from this collection.

"To be what we are and to become what we are capable of becoming is the only end of life"Spinoza
... Read more

Book Description
"The words which are criticized as dirty [in James Joyce's Ulysses] are old Saxon words known to almost all men, and, I venture, to many women, and are such words as would be naturally and habitually used, I believe, by the types of folk whose life, physical and mental, Joyce is seeking to describe. In respect of the recurrent emergence of the theme of sex in the minds of his characters, it must always be remembered that his locale was Celtic and his season spring."--John M. Woolsey, United States v. One Book Called "Ulysses"The practice of law rests heavily on the incisive, pithy, and occasionally witty language of the best technical writing, and law-related themes are often found at the core of works of literature, politics, and other fields. Previous compilations of legal quotations have been limited, with significant gaps; many quoting rarely from American sources. For example, Supreme Court Associate Justice Potter Stewart's famous quip about pornography ("I know it when I see it") appears in no other work. The Oxford Dictionary of American Legal Quotations is the most scholarly and most complete legal quotation reference ever published. It includes a comprehensive collection of the most famous passages of American judges and legal commentators. This work also contains the wittiest sayings from literature, humor, motion pictures, and even song lyrics relating to American law. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Clarence Darrow, and Abraham Lincoln share the pages with Mark Twain, Will Rogers, Kurt Vonnegut, Woody Allen, and Bob Dylan.Over 3,000 entries are presented in a subject arrangement. An author index and an extensive "key-word" index further facilitate location of desired quotes. Each quote has been verified from the original sources, with the precise citations needed for legal reference. For example: "Scarcely any political question arises in the United States which is not resolved, sooner or later, into a judicial question."--Alexis de Tocqueville "The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a bit longer."--Henry Kissinger "No patent medicine was ever put to wider and more varied use than the Fourteenth Amendment."--William O. Douglas "If there is any principle of the Constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment than any other, it is the principle of free thought--not free thought for those who agree with us, but freedom for the thought we hate."--Oliver Wendell Holmes"I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterwards. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right."--Henry David Thoreau"No principle of general law is more universally acknowledged, than the perfect equality of nations. Russia and Geneva have equal rights. It results from this equality, that no one can rightfully impose a rule on another....As no nation can prescribe a rule for others, none can make a law of nations."--John Marshall This work fills a need for lawyers and law students requiring material for their legal writing or interested in the rich cultural and historical dimensions of their profession, as well as anyone interested in the legal system so pervasive in modern life or in the vital legacy of the American constitution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Notable for its ease of use.
Shapiro's "American Legal Quotations" is notable for its ease of use. It is more than simply a listing of pithy quotations. The sections of the book are arranged alphabetically by 208 topic headings and it has a rich indexof authors and key words. Moreover, the quotations are keyed to preciselegal citations so that legal writers can use the quotations withconfidence. As a bonus, the book is fun to browse and read at leisure. Itwould be a welcome addition to any lawyer's or judge's library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Comprehensive but mostly ancient--worth 3.5 stars
This is a fine book, loaded with familiar (and some unfamiliar) quotations.Many of them are ancient-demonstrating the wisdom of the past.
[Note: all the quotes below are from Familiar Quotations, John Bartlett, Little, Brown & Co., Boston, 1968]

Frequently, they reveal who said a familiar bit of wisdom:
p. 86a: "Every man is like the company he is wont to keep."Euripides, Phoenix, fragment 809
or
p. 91a: "Let each man exercise the art he knows. You cannot teach a crab to walk straight."Aristophanes, Peace, 421 B.C., l.1083
or
p. 74b: "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."Lao Tzu, The Way of Lao Tzu, p. 64

Sometimes there are several saying much the same thing in different words:
p. 125: "While we stop to think, we often miss our opportunity."Publilius Syrus, Maxim 185
vs.
p. 125: "You should hammer your iron when it is glowing hot. (Publilius Syrus, Maxim 262;
and
p. 123: "Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled."Horace, xviii, 71
vs.
p. 123: "It is as easy to recall a stone thrown violently from the hand as a word which has left your tongue."(Menander [343-292 B.C.], Fragment
or.
p. 123: "Thoughts unexpressed may sometimes fall back dead; but God himself can't kill them when they're said." Will Carlton, The First Settler's Story, 1895-1912, st. 21
and
As geographers, Sosius, crowd into the edges of their maps parts of the world which they do not know about, adding notes in the margin to the effect that beyond this lies nothing but sandy deserts full of wild beasts, and unapproachable bogs. (Plutarch [46-120 A.D.], Lives, Aemilius Paulus, Section 5, quoted in Familiar Quotations by John Bartlett, Little, Brown & Co., Boston, 1968, p. 136a.)
vs.
"So geographers, in Afric maps
With savage pictures fill their gaps,
And o'er unhabitable downs
Place elephants for want of towns."
p. 136a: Jonathan Swift, On Poetry, A Rhapsody, 1733,

Some are humorous as well as wise:
p. 129: "I was shipwrecked before I got aboard."(Seneca, 8 B.C.-65 A.D., 87,1, Epistles
and
p. 126: "You cannot put the same shoe on every foot."Publilius Syrus, Maxim 596, first century B.C.
and
p. 125: "It is well to moor your bark with two anchors."Publilius Syrus, Maxim 119

Some are reminiscent of other famous sayings or quotes:
p. 108: "Moderation in all things."Publius Terentius Afer, c.190-159 B.C., Andria [The Lady of Andros] l.61 reminds me of Aristotle's Golden Mean or the Tibetan Buddhist Middle Way etc.
and
p. 107: "Wise men profit more from fools than fools from wise men; for the wise men shun the mistakes of fools, but fools do not imitate the successes of the wise. (Marcus Porcius Cato, the Elder, 234-149 B.C., from Plutarch's Lives, Cato, Section 8 which is reminiscent of Oscar Wilde's statement.

Some are quite practical:
p. 127: "Everything is worth what its purchaser will pay for it"Publilius Syrus, 1st century BC, Maxim 847
and
p. 123: "He who has begun has half done. Dare to be wise; begin!"Horace, ii, 40, Epistles, book I
and
p. 108: "There is nothing so easy but that it becomes difficult when you do it reluctantly."Terence Publius Terentius Afer, c.190-159 B.C., l.805

Some are philosophical:
p. 83a: "The good befriend themselves."Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, l.309
and
p. 126: "Every day should be passed as if it were to be our last."Publilius Syrus, Maxim 633

Some are surprisingly ahead of their time:
p. 107: "Those who know how to win are much more numerous than those who know how to make proper use of their victories."Polybius [c.208-126 B.C.], History, X, 36
and
p. 82b: "Knowledge must come through action; you can have no test which is not fanciful, save by trial." Sophocles, Trachiniae, l.592, {Which sounds like scientific empiricism to me.}

Some are quite profound:
p. 81b: "How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in truth!"Sophocles [c.495-405 B.C.] Oedipus Rex, l.316
and
p. 70b: "It takes a wise man to recognize a wise man."Xenophanes IX [570-475 B.C.], from Diogenes Laertius

And my personal favorite (that I quote frequently):
p. 134: "Pygmies placed on the shoulders of giants see more than the giants themselves."Lucan [39-65 A.D.], The Civil War, book II, 10 [Didacus Stella] ... Read more

Book Description
If you want to be the life of the party, if you're making a speech, writing a paper, looking for a telling phrase, or simply reading for pleasure, turn the pages of this incomparable treasure trove for a superb, up-to-date collection of popular quotations. Here is poetry and prose, songs and maxims, utterances both great and delightfully to the point. Arranged alphabetically by subject and source to give you the quotation you need in an instant, there is also a handy selective authors' index. As useful as a dictionary, and as amusing as a witty friend, BEST QUOTATIONS FOR ALL OCCASIONS is a one-stop encyclopedia of the writings and teaching of the world's greatest minds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

BEST QUOTATIONS FOR ALL OCCASIONS
THE VERY BOOK I HAVE SEEN ON QUOTES AND EAZY TO APPLY.

Excellent Choice For Students, and any one else
I purchased this book on this website, not only did it come exactly on the date it said it would but the book is excellent. Im a sophmore in high school, and wanted a book that would give me something compelling to write in essays, Im sure (I've yet to write one, having just received the book 3 hours ago) it will be helpful. Its arranged wonderfully and the cover is pink! P.S. I also bought Inspirational Quotes in hardcover also good! Bravo

Polished Diamonds
This book has a truly excellent selection of quotes.There are no dud quotes or ones that leave you guessing.Lewis Henry has done an admirable editing job. ... Read more

Book Description
Eye-opening statements of faith & convicton from each of America's 42 Chief Executives, 1789-1996. From Washington through Lincoln, Kennedy up to the present. Beautifully arranged in chronological order, excerpts are fully footnoted to source documents, taken from Inaugural Addresses, Addresses to Congress, State of the Union Addresses, Executive Proclamations, Public Laws, Presidential Speeches & correspondence. A great gift idea for students, speakers, writers or the aspiring historian!

Quotations range from Human Rights, Foreign Affairs, Indian Affairs, Military, National Crisis, National Holidays, to Religion, including acknowledgements by every U.S. President of a Supreme Being in their addresses upon assuming office!

Never before has there been such a concise, easy-to-read compilation of quotations from every United States President!

A refreshing study, this timeless 192 page book is destined to be a classic! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

ASlanted Collection of Quotes
Federer has done a lot of research, and he provides a large number of generally interesting quotations from every President, even those who lacked eloquence or longevity. A number of the excerpts precede or follow the term of office, but they do represent the men who held office--up to a point. Most regretably, however, about 99% of the quotations involve references to the Bible, Christianity, Christ, and God. Those who are ardent about their Christian religion will love this book. Those who would prefer a more balanced presentation of the Presidents' words will not like it at all.And Federer is so intent on Christianizing the Presidents that their humor is all but non-existant, and none seem like real humans--more like evangelists. There are full page pictures of each President, but, in my copy, they are almost all of poor quality. ... Read more

Book Description
The original words announcing great scientific discoveries, from the first 'Eureka!' to the cloning of Dolly the sheep, can all be found in this fascinating new collection, a major addition to the world-famous 'Oxford Quotations' range. An essential reference tool, put together over 15 years with the assistance of a distinguished team of specialist advisers, it includes full author descriptions, exact sources, and a word-finding index for easy reference. Scholarly but accessible, it also presents the human face of science, as scientists reflect on achievements and failures in their own lives and those of others. Darwin not only describes natural selection, but carefully assesses the pros and cons of marriage, while James Clerk Maxwell constructs an electric but poetic Valentine as well as his 'demon'. From Archimedes to Einstein and beyond, the Oxford Dictionary of Scientific Quotations charts the progress of the great ideas of science. 'Schrodinger's wave-mechanics is not a physical theory but a dodge - and a very good dodge too.' Arthur Eddington'I have little patience with scientists who take a board of wood, look for its thinnest part and drill a great number of holes where drilling is easy.' Albert Einstein'Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated.' Rosalind Franklin'I do not feel obliged to believe that that same God who has endowed us with senses, reason, and intellect has intended to forgo their use and by some other means to give us knowledge which we can attain by them.' Galileo Galilei'I try to identify myself with the atoms...I ask what I would do if I were a carbon atom or a sodium atom.' Linus Pauling ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is a horrible buy, the description is misleading.
There is only one line from the description which is not too misleading:
"Recommended for public and academic libraries."

It should be added: "Not recommended for individuals."

While there are a handful of great quotes in this book (perhaps 1 in a thousand), most of the quotes are very specific, are not "funny" not "zingers" not witty, not profound, and are just plain dry.There are about 20 good quotes and out of what must be about 8000 quotes in the book.I bought it based on seeing several good quotes given where the book is advertised.Well guess what! Those were half of the good quotes in the book!

Most quotes are from people you haven't heard of and don't care to hear of.Which would be fine, if the quotes were any good - but they are not.Do not buy this book. ... Read more

Book Description
Here is the answer for anyone who comes across a foreign-language quotation in a newspaper article or a book and isn't quite sure what it means. Here are famous sayings, in five European languages--Latin, French, German, Italian, and Spanish--accompanied by their translations into English and cross-indexed for easy reference.
Just what did Mussolini say about making the trains run on time? Did Marie-Antoinette really tell the poor to eat cake? Concise Dictionary of Foreign Quotations includes more than 3,000 entries, chosen by five editors, each one widely read in the language concerned. The majority of entries were included because they are familiar, those an English reader would be most likely to encounter. Literary quotations, political quotations, poetic thoughts, pungent comments, polished epigrams, shrewd perceptions--by everyone from Cicero to Sartre, from Michelangelo to Picasso. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

quite good
This is one of my favorite dictionaries of foreign phrases:I flip through it often.

There are five languages covered:French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, and German.The phrases come from literature, mythology, history, and politics, but not popular culture.

In terms of diacritical marks, the dictionary is well done, with all the accents in French, Spanish, German, and Italian having been meticulously seen to.Pronunciation might be a problem for you, though, since there is no guide to pronunciation, and nothing else to help you (e.g., the Latin lacks macrons, and the Italian section contains no assistance for irregularly stressed words) on any section.

Author and source of each quote are also given, where known.

Each page has two columns:the left is the foreign language, and the right is the English translation.Each section also contains an index of key words.Then there is an English index at the end. ... Read more

Book Description
Based on the highly acclaimed sixth edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, this new edition maintains its extensive coverage of literary and historical quotations, and contains completely up-to-date materialfrom today's influential literary and cultural figures. Over 1900 new quotes have been added for this edition, as well as author descriptions, placing the quotes firmly in context. The dictionary has been compiled using a unique process: the quotes are identified by the largest ongoing language research programme in the world, Oxford English Corpus. This ensures that all the most popular and widely-used quotes are featured.An easy-to-use keyword index traces quotations and their authors, while the appendix material, including Catchphrases, Film Lines, Official Advice, and Political Slogans, offers further topics of interest. This is the most authoritative paperback dictionary of quotations available. Containing over 9,000 quotations from more than 2,500 authors, it is both a fascinating read, and an invaluable general reference tool.Below is a selection of quotes from the new edition:Integrity has no need of rules Albert CamusWhere there is great love there are always miracles Willa CatherWe have discovered the meaning of life! Francis CrickNothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm R. W. EmersonJust trust yourself and learn the art of living GoetheIn human relations, kindness and lies are worth a thousand truths Graham GreeneThe more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws Tacitus ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great fun!Great thoughts!Great math!
I recommend this book to anyone who thinks.

This book is one of my favorites to keep on the shelf by my computer.I find myself flipping through it often for an idea to spark a piece of writing or a quote withwhich to begin a math lesson.I find myself being surprised by theruminations of some famous mathematicians and famous non-mathematicians. Some quotes are from something they said, others from what they wrote, andsome are even from poems composed.They inspire laughter, contemplation, agrin (as we hear quotes from people confused about math), and even a desireto go out and examine the world with wonder... as mathematicians do.

Ialso need to add that they did a fantastic job of designing the book. There are illustrations and cartoons that compliment the different quotesor make interesting points all on their own.This is no small book ofquotes either -- not "a quote a page" -- but more of a slenderpocket volume with easy-to-read type and up to four quotes on a page.

Irecommend this book for anyone -- it's not just a math thing!

But anymath teachers out there?BUY THIS! You can use some of these to startsome wonderful lessons, mathematical conversations, and even some writingin your classroom. ... Read more

Amazon.com
The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations is as impressive, erudite, enjoyable, and educational a tome as you might expect from Oxford. It's the sort of undertaking the press does very well. The first such dictionary, as compiled by Oxford, was published in 1953, and it's been tweaking, modifying, and updating it ever since. This new edition, the fifth, offers well over 20,000 quotations from more than 3,000 authors. Responding to correspondence from their readers, Oxford has restored some material from past editions, such as the proverbs and nursery-rhymes section. There's a much more inclusive attention to sacred texts of world religions, and 2,000 quotations are brand new.

The quotations are arranged alphabetically, by author, so browsing provides insight into the authors quoted, more so than do compendiums that are organize by theme. There is also, however, a full thematic index, starting with Administration, Age, and America, and running the alphabetical gamut through to War, Weather, and Youth. And that is followed by a 283-page comprehensive keyword index. If you needed to fault Oxford with something, it might be the small print, but it certainly wouldn't be the thoroughness or cross-referenceability.

There's Kingsley Amis on hangovers ("His mouth had been used as a latrine by some small creature of the night, and then as its mausoleum") and the sexes ("Women are really much nicer than men. No wonder we like them"). There's Woody Allen on immortality ("I don't want to achieve immortality through my work--I want to achieve it through not dying") and Fred Allen on committees ("A group of men who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done"). Spiro T. Agnew is on record as saying, "If you've seen one city slum you've seen them all." And Konrad Adenauer weighs in with "A thick skin is a gift from God."

There are pages of special categories, such as one of advertising slogans ("Let your fingers do the walking," "It's finger-licking good," and "Beanz meanz Heinz") and three pages of last words ("God will pardon me, it is His trade," from Heinrich Heine; "If this is dying, then I don't think much of it," by Lytton Strachey; and "It's been so long since I've had champagne," by Anton Chekhov). And there are pages of film lines, misquotations, epitaphs, telegrams, and toasts, too. Oxford's Dictionary of Quotations is a wonderfully reliable and inclusive quotation reference, and it's a lot of fun, as well. --Stephanie GoldBook Description
This major new edition of The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations offers the broadest and most up-to-date coverage of quotations available today.Now with 20,000 quotations arranged by author, this is Oxford's largest quotations dictionary ever.As well as quotations from traditional sources, and with improved coverage of world religions and classical Greek and Latin literature, this foremost dictionary of quotations now covers areas such as proverbs and nursery rhymes.For the first time there are special sections for Advertising Slogans, Epitaphs, Film Lines, and Misquotations, which bring together topical and related quotes, and allow you to browse through the best quotations on a given subject. In this new fifth edition there is enhanced accessibility with a new thematic index to help you find the best quotes on a chosen subject, more in-depth details of the earliest traceable source, an extensive keyword index, and biographical cross-references, so you will easily be able to find quotations for all occasions, and identify who said what, where, and when. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Good for long quotations from famous works
This book is very different from the other quotation books I've used.It is well organized and indexed, but a large number of quotes are very large indeed.It is perhaps dominated by the Bible, Shakespeare, and a few other well-know authors/books.If you know something is from Shakespeare and you need to know where (which play, act, etc.), this book is for you.If you just collect quotes, as I do, it isn't all that helpful--Bartlett's is better for that purpose.Also, see Lieberman's 3500 quotes book and, especially, Braude's book of speakers' stories (exceptionally good).So, the Oxford book is a 3 or a 5 depending on how you want to use it.So, I gave it a 4.What can you do?As Virgil (as quoted in the book) says: "Trust one who has gone through it."Great reference text, but not a book to read through, IMHO.

Complaint with format, not content
I have used previous editions of the Oxford book o' quotations and, until this edition, I considered this book a must-have for anyone that relies upon reference sources for quotations, as I do as a magazine editor.

While probably trivial to most, the decision to place page numbers in the gutter rather than on the top-outside corners of each page, as in previous editions, is truly a pain. Think about it; most readers will search for quotes by topic, to which the excellent index will refer the reader by page. Tucking such (small) folios in the gutter is irritating when attempting to locate something quickly.

Truly, this is a minor complaint, but I find myself using the previous edition and hope the next edition will rectify this flaw in the current edition's functionality...

An Essential Reference for Any Home Library
The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations is more than simply a collection of words people have spoken. It's a summary of the best of our spoken and written language - the Greek and Latin authors, Dante, The Bible, Shakespeare, the English Poets, Winston Churchill, and just about every other essential literary or historical work of the last two thousand years. In a sense, the ODQ is not so much a collection of famous sayings as it is a single volume summary of western literature you can use to track down a line from a poem or novel as well as a phrase from a famous speech. This is an essential reference work for anyone interested in literature or history and should be part of any home library alongside such frequently used books as a dictionary or encyclopedia.

Best choice for Brits
The question for most people looking to purchase a book of quotations is whether to get Bartlett's Familiar Quotations or The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.So perhaps it would be a good idea to compare them and see which might better meet your needs.

Both are important works of reference; both are authoritative.Bartlett's latest edition, the 17th is from 2002 while this, the latest Oxford, is from 1999 with a reprint with corrections from 2001.So both are relatively up to date.Bartlett's is a slightly larger book with perhaps 300 more pages; however the number of actual quotations is not that different.Both books quote over 3,000 authors and contain over 20,000 quotations.

The most significant difference between them, to my mind, is that in the Oxford, English authors are favored both in terms of number included and entries by, which is to be expected since the Oxford is an British publication while Bartlett's is an American publication.A quick check shows that British mathematician and philosopher Bertram Russell, for example, has more entries in the Oxford than he does in Bartlett's, whereas both Mark Twain and the Baltimore sage, H. L. Mencken, have more entries in Bartlett's than they do in the Oxford.France's Voltaire commands just about the same space in either book.

The next most important difference is that the quotations are presented alphabetically by author in the Oxford while Bartlett's presents them chronologically beginning with the oldest.Both sources give author's dates.Personally I find the alphabetical arrangement preferable because it often saves me a trip to the alphabetical "Index of Authors" in Bartlett's that I have to make before finding the author I am interested in.When one is looking for a quote by keyword, which often happens, Bartlett's is slightly to be preferred.Its Index is definitely longer (accounting for most of the difference in length between the books) and it is more extensively cross-referenced.In looking up Marx's "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs" I found the quote in the Oxford from the keywords "according," "abilities," and "needs."In Bartlett's "according" did not work, but "each," "abilities," and "needs" did.So that was a standoff.However I found the Golden Rule and its source in Bartlett's without any trouble by looking under "Golden Rule" and under "do unto."In the Oxford neither "Golden Rule" nor "do unto" were in the Index of keywords.Both books give Matthew 7:12 as the source.

The Oxford has a slightly more international approach to religious texts.There is a little less of the Bible here, but more of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Koran, and other non-Christian texts, except for the Tao Te Ching from Lao Tzu where Bartlett's has 34 entries to 19 for the Oxford.

Another feature that the Oxford has that will be handy for some is its "Special Categories" which are "Advertising Slogans" (mostly for products sold in the UK), "Misquotations," "Newspaper Headlines and Leaders," "Political Slogans and Songs," and fifteen more.These are text boxes appearing alphabetically among the quotations.Curiously they give the rather staid Oxford reputation a bit of a colloquial feel that may surprise some people.

So how to choose between these two very excellent works of reference?I like them both and if I had to part with either, I would reluctantly let the Oxford go.However if I were English I would part with Bartlett's and keep the Oxford.I really think they are that close in quality.For a secondary consideration, I would prefer the Oxford since its slightly smaller size is a bit handier, especially when balanced on one's chest as one reads in bed!

Bottom line: no serious writer (especially of literature, culture and history) should be without either this or Bartlett's.Next to a dictionary a book of quotations is my most consulted work of reference.To solve the dilemma, I recommend that you splurge and get them both!

Excellent Source Book!
The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations gives you more than you could ever possibly use! For a writer who often uses quotes to back up certain portions of my works, I have found this edition more than satisfactory & worth every penny paid for it. About the last 3rd of the book houses the index, where you can look up any word & corresponding quotes. It directs you to the page where it's listed by giving you the author's name, the page number, and then a number for the paragraph where you'll find your quote. ... Read more

Book Description
McNamara, M. Frances. Ragbag of Legal Quotations. Albany: Matthew Bender & Company, 1960. xi, 334 pp. Reprinted 1992 by The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. LCCN 92-074141. ISBN 0-9630106-3-8. Cloth. $50. One of the best collections of legal quotations ever. McNamara's attractive and well-indexed volume provides over 2,000 quotations arranged under nearly 300 subject headings, which are further indexed by author and by words and phrases. Explanatory notes clarify the meaning of some well-known, but misunderstood quotations. ... Read more

Book Description
Motivation for Writers, Every Day of the Year. Specifically selected Quotations for each Calendar Date illuminate all aspects of the Writing Process. * The First Quotation illustrates the Pre-Writing or Preparation Stage (of Thinking and Planning) * The Second Quotation illustrates the Writing or Creation Stage (of Drafting and Editing) * The Third Quotations illustrates the Post-Writing or Celebration Stage (of Publishing and Marketing) "This is a treasury of inspiration, stimulation and fun for writers." Dan Poynter, author of The Self-Publishing Manual "No matter what page you open to you'll find the experience, wisdom and inspiration of the best writers in the world to motivate and energize the work you do." Paul J Krupin, author of Words People Love to Hear ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Words to inspire writers edited by Gregory Victor Babic
I am an Australian author of several books and have greatly enjoyed reading Greg Babic's wonderful selection of quotations. They are proving a source of wisdom and excitement to me in my own current writings. The quotations are ingeniously arranged under three stages of the writing process and should prove of great help to many other budding authors. Thank you, Greg!

Fred Argy
AM, OBE, MEC, Hon. Doctor, University of Sydney
Visiting Fellow, Australian National University

A great read!!
What a fantastic book!! This book is full of useful, interesting and sometimes provocative quotes, that not only inspire writers, but anyone who has one of those mental block moments.

I am certain that everyone will find something in this book to get them through the day - students, teachers, writers, professionals - everytime you get a blank, this book will provide you with a quote to get over your block and keep on going.

A truly great book and a must to have!!

Aspiring Writers take note!
your work is inspirational & maybe a little provocative & that's good. I would suggest that it is not only suitable for writers but also for laymen like me as I have always enjoyed perusing through books of quotations and proverbs.

This book is the aspiring writers' equivalent of AA's "24 Hours a Day"!

Inspirational for any CopyWriter
Whenever I have a mental block, I simply draw inspiration from Greg's fabulous literary collection. There is something for every moment of every day. No matter where you are up to with your own writing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nice desk accessory for writers, lecturers, and academics
The "Penguin Dictionary of Quotations" makes a nice desk accessory for writers, lecturers, and academics. Those interested in citing or referencing classic quotes will find plenty from the expected sources of the Bible, Shakespeare, Milton, Dr. Johnson, Boswell, Swift, and Tennyson, for example. Euclid, Buddha, Emerson, and Dostoyevsky make appearances, along with a vast array of others who have multiple citations. Yet many others luminaries, such as Jane Elliot, Galileo, and Caligula, have but a single utterance cataloged.

One third of the book is given over to the indices, an indispensable utility that really serves as the engine, allowing users to search by name and more importantly by key words and topics, which serve to propel most quotation seekers on their quests.

The typeface used for the quotations is quite small but readable, but the even smaller point size employed for the index may push one's trifocals to the limit.

Now that many of these quotes are available on the Internet from various sources (not all are entirely accurate and many are specialized), books of quotations seem quaint and musty, no doubt. Still I would rather delve into a tome such as this, knowing that its author cared deeply about their work and less about conveniences.
... Read more