Book Description
You don't have to be a genius to sound like one. Here's a collection of the most profound and provocative wit and wisdom in the English language in two lines or less. Edited by entrepreneur John M. Shanahan, who created the wildly successful Hooked on Phonics program, this wonderful book presents the best that has been thought and said on every imaginable topic.
Classified by such themes as "Truth, Lies, and Deception," "Men, Women, and Relationships," and "Passions, Virtues, and Vices," these quotes contain timeless messages for all humankind. Oscar Wilde: "A man who marries his mistress leaves a vacancy in that position." Charles de Gaulle: "The cemetery is filled with indispensable men." Abraham Lincoln: "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." Sophocles: "Men of ill judgment oft ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it."
Perfect for anyone who has ever been left speechless, this book will make you as glib as Oscar Wilde, as profound as Winston Churchill, and as wise as Aesop. Inspirational, entertaining, and thought-provoking, this is one collection that no library or bookshelf should be without.
Customer Reviews:
You've got to be kidding!.......2007-06-08
If this editor really thinks these are the most brilliant thoughts of all time, he needs to get out more. A few gems, but mostly tired truisms from the 1900's and before. Nothing much new. I found this book disappointing and boring, which is unfortunate, since it includes a CD with all of the content included. But here is some good news; if you are looking for something similar that will really inspire and entertain you a far better choice is-
"A Dancing Star: Inspirations to Guide and Heala wonderful book that was given to me by a friend 10 years ago when I became ill with a chronic disease. I still read it all the time.
I have two copies - i can't be without it!.......2006-10-18
This is an amazing quote book. I manage a large office of creative staff and I
also attend many business functions where I am often called upon to make
speeches. I use the quotes in this book when communicating with my staff and
colleagues. I like to throw in a few quotes from Mr. Shanahan's book, it never
lets me down when I need to make a point subtly and eloquently.
I find a great way to start the business day on a positive note is to
open up The Most Brilliant Thoughts of All Time' (in Two Lines or Less) and
read a relevant quote to my team.
I have a copy at my office and another at home.
Lots of Profound Quotations.......2006-04-26
I REALLY like reading quotations & this book is FULL of them, BUT the author, John Shanahan, has attempted his 15 minutes of fame by including his own quotations, most of which I read & said, "HUH??" because they are not up to the same quality as the others. However, it IS his book! Great read, tho!
Literature ?.......2006-03-14
As books of this type go it is about what I expected, a real novelty. I may find a few items to quote, but most are not very profound nor of great interest.
Carry right too far and it becomes wrong.......2005-11-15
As I have just finished reading the book of Baltasar Gracian "the art of worldly wisdom" which is a must on every serious readers shelf , I picked up this book to relax my mind and enjoy it.....I must admit that it is very easy read and one can finish it in a couple of days since most quotes can be found written at the back of public toilet doors. A good book overall but far from brilliant.
Pascal Hagge
Book Description
A delightful excursion through the Yiddish language, the culture it defines and serves, and the fine art of complaint
Throughout history, Jews around the world have had plenty of reasons to lament. And for a thousand years, they've had the perfect language for it. Rich in color, expressiveness, and complexity, Yiddish has proven incredibly useful and durable. Its wonderful phrases and idioms impeccably reflect the mind-set that has enabled the Jews of Europe to survive a millennium of unrelenting persecution . . . and enables them to kvetch about it!
Michael Wex—professor, scholar, translator, novelist, and performer—takes a serious yet unceasingly fun and funny look at this remarkable kvetch-full tongue that has both shaped and has been shaped by those who speak it. Featuring chapters on curse words, food, sex, and even death, he allows his lively wit and scholarship to roam freely from Sholem Aleichem to Chaucer to Elvis.
Perhaps only a khokhem be-layle (a fool, literally a "sage at night," when there's no one around to see) would care to pass up this endearing and enriching treasure trove of linguistics, sociology, history, and folklore—an intriguing appreciation of a unique and enduring language and an equally fascinating culture.
Customer Reviews:
It's like old times.......2007-10-03
Reading has been limited so far, but even in small bits it's enjoyable and memorable.
Born to Kvetch by Wex.......2007-10-01
Kvetch is the art of complaining. The book is written in Yiddish rather
than standard German. The author explains how Jews take their Yiddish
with them into Slavic countries. Acceptance of Talmudic authority
distinguishes Jews from non-Jews. The Fasting of the Firstborn is
described on the eve of Passover in gratitude for G-d having spared
them.
Kosher foods are described in detail. These foods are considered fit,
proper or right. i.e. fish with fins and scales; all birds not forbidden
in the Talmud; mammals with clover hooves that chew the cud or eat
noisily with their mouths open.
Luckily, the volume contains an extensive glossary for the readership.
The acquisition would be excellent for both Jews and non-Jews alike.
In the Ground, Baking Bagels.......2007-09-02
I am not Jewish, but I grew up in Jewish homes and am guilty of being a Jew wannabe, if there is such a thing.
Not everyone seems to have loved this book, but after Wex's explanation of Talmudic scholarship, I would have expected no less. This book is scholarly, witty, insightful and revealing. The style is a little odd, in that a series of cultural insights is followed by a page of definitions; that's the only reason I withhold the last star. That said, he takes us in the darkest and earthiest origins of the Yiddish language and how it reflects the restless and oppressed culture that formed it.
One of my favorites is the expression that translates to: "I'm lying in the ground, baking bagels" given in response to the question "how's business?"
If you're lying in the ground baking bagels, you're obviously dead, it's hot,you're working instead of resting, you're dead and there's no one to even sell the bagels to.....
You get it.
kvetch.......2007-08-01
very funny. very informative. maybe a little too much information but the first 50 pages are great.
Oy a Broch, Oy veys meer, Oy Gevalt...running out of Oys!.......2007-07-28
Funny book, interesting informative. I like the style, but the best is, it's funny. (Not as funny as the memoir I also bought, entitled : "My Parents Went Through the Holocaust and All I got was this Lousy t-Shirt", which made me laugh, and cry hysterically, people thought I was having a nervous breakdown. Funny is how we survive the pain that would otherwise kill us!
Michael Wex should read Hanala's book, especially the glossary called "JEWBONICS", which is something like he has in this book. They should get together, is he married?
BetteMy Parents Went Through the Holocaust and All I Got Was This Lousy Tshirt
Book Description
Jackie Mason has built his Tony Award-winning career out of the culture and language of Jewish people, so who better to instruct the unindoctrinated in the joys of Yiddish? How to Talk Jewish, a guide to 100 Yiddish words, phrases, and expressions, includes pronunciations, definitions, and examples of usage, along with Jackie's incomparable wit. Is your blind date haimish? Uh oh. A zhlub, worse. A doctor? The naches are almost inexpressible! Jackie Mason brings all the vivacity, spunk, and chutzpah of Yiddish to the tongues of the less fortunate. Don't be a meshugenner, buy it already!
Customer Reviews:
Jackie Mason helps you learn to talk Jewish the Yiddish way.......2007-02-06
I wanted to learn some common Yiddish sayings. So I bought Jackie Masons' book titled: "How to Talk Jewish". It is an enjoyable book complete with Yiddish sayings and a taste of Jewish life as only Jackie Mason can tell it.
How to Talk Jewish.......2006-03-03
Not as good as I had hoped. He explains a lot of Yiddish phrases that are not commonly used. The commonly used expressions were not defined as well as I could have defined them myself.
Can we talk????.......2003-04-09
Quintessential Jackie! Hilarious! A must-have in a Jewish humor library. May I also recommend a nifty, gezunta book I received as a gift and fell in love with? "A Little joy, A Little Oy" -- if Jackie's a main course Joy, Oy is one amazing antipasto.
Lillian & Joe Moses
OY A KLUG!.......2002-02-06
Only a meshuggener would not find this book entertaining and informative. Then again, probably only meshuggeners would want to READ shtick like this. Too bad Jackie didn't record this for the blind and the goyim; LISTENING to his spiel would just make this so much more of a mecheieha. If only that gantseh macher Webster had had Jackie as his editor -- oy!
Lexicography that is witty and wise.......2001-02-04
This is a smart little book of 93 Yiddish words and expressions that are defined, illuminated, and used-in-a-sentence by comic and philosopher Mason. In his Introduction, a thoughtful essay on Yiddish, he asserts that although he born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1934, he grew up in a one hundred percent Yiddish-speaking world ("I didn't know that anybody in this country spoke English until I was old enough to go to the movies.") His family moved back to New York before he was five.
This little book contains a wealth of Masonisms. Jackie Mason used to have run-ins with censors and others. He reserves the right to be both self-deprecating and insulting. Jews, gentiles, politics, marriage, family, ethnicity, money, power, and God himself - all are up for grabs. There are a lot of funny stories. In addition, he has an understanding of the Yiddish language that he is happy to share. (Harry Truman was haimish - accessible, natural - FDR was not. Colorful explanation is provided.) He offers a theory of chicken soup that links it -successfully - to most of the world's cuisines. He is never dull. Mason: "It seems that in English that you have to prove that you're not emotional in order to have class." He posits his sociolinguistic theory (which you've heard if you've seen or heard his stage show) that the more emotional the speech - content and structure - the more "low class" the speaker. He defends emotionality. He loves Yiddish, and in fact the language (black English, specifically) of any people engaged in a battle of wits to survive.
A funny and endearing book.
Book Description
Does the sensation of
Tingrith(1) make you yelp? Do you bend sympathetically when you see someone
Ahenny(2)? Can you deal with a
Naugatuck(3) without causing a
Toronto(4)? Will you suffer from
Kettering(5) this summer?
Probably. You are almost certainly familiar with all these experiences but just didn’t know that there are words for them. Well, in fact, there aren’t—or rather there weren’t, until Douglas Adams and John Lloyd decided to plug these egregious linguistic
lacunae(6). They quickly realized that just as there are an awful lot of experiences that no one has a name for, so there are an awful lot of names for places you will never need to go to. What a waste. As responsible citizens of a small and crowded world, we must all learn the virtues of recycling(7) and put old, worn-out but still serviceable names to exciting, vibrant, new uses. This is the book that does that for you: The Deeper Meaning of Liff—a whole new solution to the problem of
Great Wakering(8)
1—The feeling of aluminum foil against your fillings.
2—The way people stand when examining other people’s bookshelves.
3—A plastic packet containing shampoo, mustard, etc., which is impossible to open except by biting off
the corners.
4—Generic term for anything that comes out in a gush, despite all your efforts to let it out carefully, e.g., flour into a white sauce, ketchup onto fish, a dog into the yard, and another naughty meaning that we can’t put on the cover.
5—The marks left on your bottom and thighs after you’ve been sitting sunbathing in a wicker chair.
6—God knows what this means
7—For instance, some of this book was first published in Britain twenty-six years ago.
8—Look it up yourself.
Customer Reviews:
Big fan of Adams, but this book ..........2007-07-08
I am a big fan of Dougles Adams books, at least in general.
But this book is, at best, only marginally funny. Others have explored this topic, and with better results.
The problem here is that Adams tries to make funny sounding words for things that don't have a name (like that little twist between link sausages), but constrains himself to using the names of small cities and towns from around the world. Occasionally, he hits a home run, but most of the words are strike outs.
Disapointed.
PS the 'name' for hte link between sausages is kerry. Why, I don't know, and I have no idea why some think this is humorous.
glorious.......2007-01-16
This book was superb, anyone who is a fan of Adams will appreciate it's wit, it's ingenuity, and it's intense sarcasm. Absolutely necessary to complete you Douglas Adams collection.
Short Quck Laughs.......2006-08-26
In a hurry stressed out... just read a couple quick definitions it will lighten your mood it does mine
Not what I was expecting........2005-08-24
This book is set up as a dictionary. If you enjoy reading dictionaries, then please purchase this book. The humor was lost on me because of the format.
Hilarious fun for an Anglophile.......2002-05-17
As said previously, this book (and the sibling) are hilarious fun for anglophiles and wordsmiths alike...
Book Description
The sharpest stings ever to snap from the tip of an English-speaking tongue are here at hand, ready to be directed at the knaves, villains, and coxcombs of the reader's choice. Culled from 38 plays, here are the best 5,000 examples of Shakespeare's glorious invective, arranged by play, in order of appearance, with helpful act and line numbers for easy reference, along with an index of topical scorn appropriate to particular characters and occasions.
Line art.
Customer Reviews:
Superior Drama Insults.......2007-01-13
This book was purchased as a gift for a Speech and Drama college student.
These kids really enjoy the wit Shakespeare wrote. Knowing which insult to use for appropriate moments is a blast for them!
Deceptive Title.......2006-02-17
I thought this was going to have definitions of the various terms used by Shakespeare, but it only has lists and lists of insults. I admit many of the terms are somewhat straightforward, but I really was trying to find something that would "educate" me about how the insults came about and perhaps their meaning at that time. If you are looking for lists of insults, however, this is the book for you.
Excellent!.......2005-12-01
This is a fabulous little book that every high school English teacher should have in their arsenal. When the jock in the back row groans when you ask him to read aloud from Hamlet, call him a burly-boned clown. When the popular kid in the front row claims to have forgotten to read the assigned pages from Macbeth, call him Triton of the minnows. Okay, maybe don't, but using it to help you find the curses and insults within the texts, and therefore to help you point them out to your students, will definitely make Shakespeare more fun for them.
Very Useful! Good Book!.......2004-08-28
Wayne Hill and Cynthia Ottchen have compiled a very useful list of insults from the works of the Master Bard himself!
The book begins with Part I providing a list of ready to use insulting names for the act of "name-calling." Part II examines Shakespeare's major plays and the insulting lines therefrom. Part III ends the book with a list of Ready Insults For Particular Occasions.
Trust me, upon purchase and use of this text, when the content is memorized, you will never be at a loss for words again! Commendable work. Outstanding. Five stars.
Example: "You foul-mouthed and caluminous knave; you rabble of vile confederates, and herd of boils and plagues, etc."
Why use your own insults when Shakepeare's are so colorful?.......2001-01-07
Based on the premise that "people NEED insults," Hill and Ottchen here offer a catalogue of every insult the immortal bard ever published. It must have been a tedious collection process, but the work was well worth it; as anyone even the slightest bit familiar with Shakespeare would expect, here in this isolated form his insults reveal themselves as powerful, picturesque, and scathing. The language and the diversity of emotion and expression will not fail to impress you.
My one quibble with the collection is that is seems rudderless in its organization. If we are intended to use the language as our own, why does most of the book consist of a list of insults organized by PLAY (which is hard to use, and a bit tedious to read unless you are treating the book as a concordance for the play itself) rather than by type of insult or applicability? (The final section offers this, but it is VERY short). In terms of content and concept, though, this book makes for a great addition to a classroom, resource collection, letter-writing desktop, or to the Shakeseare-lover's coffee table -- a good gift for the scholar or bibliophile.
Book Description
Newly expanded and up-to-the-minute, a bestselling guide to survival in multicultural America in the sensitive 1990s. Includes even more real and satirical definitions to help keep thought cops away. Illustrated throughout.
Customer Reviews:
Funny, yet Frightening.......2003-05-10
When I first bought the book, I was expecting high quality entertainment, providing razor-sharp satire on a society rapidly increasing its speed into the chasm of death. I got that, but I got so much more.
The book does an excellent job of providing a realistic look at the language the few schmucks in power have forced upon us.
Of course I laugh at everything, because it all seems so stupid. But, after finishing the book and going back out into the real world, I was shocked at exactly how true the book really was.
What has happened to this country? Have we become so paranoid about the remote possiblity of offending someone that we've really created a euphemism for the word dead? I mean, how many dead people are going to be offened if we call them dead? Answer: None.
This book helped me realize exactly how pointless the whole process of political correctness is. When are these people going to realize that changing the word does not change the condition? It's not only pointless, but it's hurting this country. All these people are doing is sheilding people from reality. Political correctness is a stupid idea which needs to be eliminated (I'm sorry, neutralized).
Good book, bad idea.
Entertaining? hardly!.......2003-04-17
Far from being entertaining this book is scary stuff! Words whose meaning has been redefined, new incomprehensible words, ambiguous combinations of words, all in the apparent belief that we shouldn't upset anyone at anytime has a deadly seriousness about it! It reminds me of the Wolf Biermann song "Das Hoelderlin Lied", the first three lines of lines of which translate as: "in this country we live like strangers in our own house / our own language which we encounter we no longer understand / yet they who speak our language understand us"
The authors should be congratulated for producing this book and I think it should be made compulsory reading for all!
Pretty fun at first, but it gets old.......2002-03-11
Henry Beard and Christopher Cerf have written a book that is filled with irony and fun. It's meant as a dictionary for politically correct terms, and some of them are pretty well thought up, such as "optically challenged, hair disadvantaged and pharmacological preference, but unfortunately, the subject of ridicule, political correctness, is a fun but far from large subject, and in my opinion, the authors have written a much too large book on a much too small subject. At first it's pretty good entertainment, but it just gets old and corny, and it isn't funny once you reach page 40.
Entertaining and Useful Book to Own.......2000-07-25
As we enter the 21st century, it has become very imprtant to improve our language skills for everyday use. Due to the reality of frivilous lawsuits or the development of customer relations skills in today's global economy, it has become very important to acquire advanced communication skills that don't refer to a person's age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or any other human characteristic in a demeaning manner.
This is where "The Officially Politically Correct Dictionary & Handbook," comes into hand. Originally written as a humor book, this book is actually quite resourceful in anyday situations involving individuals who are different, irritating, or sensitive to what one might say. While working in retail, and later in marketing, I have found that this book allowed me to use proper terms that wouldn't offend anyone. While many of my coworkers and clients laughed at times, this book will come in handy for many service employees. Flight Attendants, Retail Workers, Human Resources Employees, etc..., this book has almost every correct word to say in today's complexed world of jargon.
Whether dealing with a "difficult woman," (primadonna), a "horizontally-challenged" person (fat), or a "Domestic Incarceration Survivor," (housewife) this humorous, yet helpful book will provide the reader with beneficial words and phrases to add anyone's vocabulary. Truly, this is a must have book in today's marketplace!
Entertaining and Useful Book to Own.......2000-07-25
As we enter the 21st century, it has become very imprtant to improve our language skills for everyday use. Due to the reality of frivilous lawsuits or the development of customer relations skills in today's global economy, it has become very important to acquire advanced communication skills that don't refer to a person's age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or any other human characteristic in a demeaning manner.
This is where "The Officially Politically Correct Dictionary & Handbook," comes into hand. Originally written as a humor book, this book is actually quite resourceful in anyday situations involving individuals who are different, irritating, or sensitive to what one might say. While working in retail, and later in marketing, I have found that this book allowed me to use proper terms that wouldn't offend anyone. While many of my coworkers and clients laughed at times, this book will come in handy for many service employees. Flight Attendants, Retail Workers, Human Resources Employees, etc..., this book has almost every correct word to say in today's complexed world of jargon.
Whether dealing with a "difficult woman," (primadonna), a "horizontally-challenged" person (fat), or a "Domestic Incarceration Survivor," (housewife) this humorous, yet helpful book will provide the reader with beneficial words and phrases to add anyone's vocabulary. Truly, this is a must have book in today's marketplace!
Amazon.com
Some may search quotation compilations for wisdom or inspiration, but most crack these reference tomes looking for a laugh. Ned Sherrin has therefore done the world a favor by culling the witticisms and snide remarks from the vast quotation libraries, creating a volume completely dedicated to the funny remark. It's superbly browsable, but as the nearly 5,000 quotations are grouped by more than 100 themes, it's also a reference with practical applications. For a quip on consumerism, George Orwell comes through with, "Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket." Dean Martin opines about liquor: "You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Ronald Knox defines a baby as "a loud noise on one end and no sense of responsibility on the other," and for politics, Art Buchwald says of Richard Nixon, "I worship the quicksand he walks in." It's an irresistible dictionary. --Stephanie Gold
Book Description
This hilarious collection of humorous quotations, full of wisecracks and wit, snappy comments and inspired fantasy, has been specially chosen by Ned Sherrin. Now with even more quotes on more subjects: from Gambling to Hollywood, from Diets to Shopping. Find the best lines from your favourite jokesters and wordsmiths, add that extra something to a speech or presentation, or just enjoy a good laugh. 'If God had wanted us to bend over, He would have put diamonds on the floor.' Joan Rivers on Health 'It's hard to be funny when you have to be clean.' Mae West on Humour 'Don't get mad, get everything.' Ivana Trump on Marriage 'They misunderestimated me.' George W. Bush on Self-Knowledge 'If it's shiny, I buy it.' Graham Norton on Shopping 'Whales get killed only when they spout.' Denis Thatcher on BSpeeches
Customer Reviews:
When you need a great quip that fits the occasion ...look here!.......2006-03-23
This is a treasure trove of humor for all occasions. There are many books of quotations from all kinds of people and for all occasions and topics; but here the book keeps to what is humorous.It is a great source to have handy; but it also makes for wonderful light hearted reading ,just to start at the front and to keep going.It is organized several ways so that a quote on a subject or by personality is easy to find. It was published in Britain so has a lot of lines that are new over here.
Here are a couple I enjoyed;
On being told that his fly buttons were undone,Winston Churchill commented;"No matter,dead birds do not leave the nest."
To her husband a chicken farmer in California,after a flash flood had wiped out his entire flock. "I told you to stick to ducks."
"Oh what a wonderous bird is the Pelican!
His beak holds more than his belican.
He takes in his beak,food enough for a week,
But I'll be damned if I know the helican."
"I opened it at page 96--the secret page,on which I
wrote my name to catch out borrowers and book sharks."
Flan O'Brien
It'd be hard to find a better book of humorous quotes.
Useful (and funny) reference for all.......2001-05-24
Collection of witty, funny, sarcastic or apprantely innocent quotations from famous and not so famous people.
Book is well organized. Quotations are divided into categories. These categories are given in alphabetical order starting from 'Actors and Acting, 'Advertising' to 'Writers and Writing' and 'Youth'. Surprisingly there is no topic with Z! You may also find some every interesting categories. Just to give you an idea there are quotations on 'Quotations', 'Insults and Invective' and 'Censorship'.
For every quotation there is, along with the author name, a brief description of where and when was it said/used and in some cases why was it used. That adds to the meaning of the quote.
Such as why Winston Churchill said 'And they say the old man's getting deaf as well'.
At the end of book, apart from the keywork index, there is also an author index, in case you need quotes from a particular person.
A useful book for adding spice to your speech and writing or just skim through it for literally pleasure.
Just to quote an example from the book: 'I know heaps of quotations, so I can always make quite a fair show of knowledge' -- O. Douglas
An Excellent Resource, And A Great Read Too.......2001-02-21
A fantastic book of quotations, and the most comprehensive collection of humorous quotes I've yet to come across. The organization is excellent, with an adequate list of themes serving as the table of contents. Further aiding discovery of the perfect quote is an index of authors/sources, and a very well developed keyword index. Both of these supplemental indices are a bit confusing, but not overly so. They list the applicable theme and the numbered entry under that theme; there are no page numbers given. It's a bit confusing on the first few uses, after that it is simple.
The book is a fun, quick read as well, dense (with its relatively small print) with goodies from John Updike, Cheryl Tiegs, Henry Kissinger, Frank Zappa, George Foreman, P. J. O'Rourke, etc. I heartily recommend it.
A Great Quote Book.......2000-06-04
This book was great. I loved every quote. It had a lot of excellent ideas. I will make you laugh and teach you life leason's at the same time. One of my friends loaned it to me and I had to go out and get my own. If you like quotes then you will love this book.
Customer Reviews:
One of my all-time favorite books...when you need a good laugh reach for this!.......2007-01-07
I just spotted this book again while looking at my other books, to find ones to get rid of to make room for books I am getting for cell biology and microbiology (teaching). Anyway, I'd forgotten how very funny this collection is, and it got me to wondering about one of the major problems in this country today is the declining of American humor. We especially need political humorists that write rather than be on television or radio because oftentimes they say something that if not written down will be forgotten. So many of the humorists in this book are from the same time period, the early to mid-1900s, and many were journalists or writers. We don't seem to have those guys any more and that is our loss. We need people to say sarcastic and pithy and witty comments to the incredibly stupid things done in politics, corporations, and modern society. This is one of those books my husband hates to have me reading, because I want to share all this stuff with him, and I will read it late in the night, laughing my head off. Luckily, he's a heavy sleeper, or he would be up with me all night!
A very enjoyable book. They should definitely think about reissuing and updating this book. Surely Jay Leno, or the political humorists today on CNN and comedy channels must say something occasionally that is worth repeating for generations to enjoy. I sure wish I could come up with retorts such as these guys wrote (and some women) as quickly as they did, but unfortunately, that gene bypassed me and went to my husband and kids. Sometimes you just need a good laugh, no matter what your usual reading preferences are!
Karen Sadler
A welcome addition to any grouch's library.......2002-05-26
Those among us who are generally grouchy and pessimistic can find solace and support in the pages of this book. Indeed, the Portable Curmudgeon Redux is a celebration of the art of complaining. You don't have to be a misanthrope to enjoy the humor, but eternally happy, effervescent souls will find little reason to even glance at these pages. This is the province of realism, satire, rapier wit, irritability, and--above all--humor; this book really doesn't take itself too seriously. The book offers a dictionary of quotations for such selected words and concepts as love, marriage, life, lawyers, and advertising, the jewels of wisdom coming from such individuals as Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, and H. L. Mencken. Several specific topics (such as American Presidents, music, and fine art) are singled out for special attention. There are also interviews with personalities such as P.J. O'Rourke, Larry Gelbart, Florence King, and Carrie Fisher. No subject is taboo or safe from the skewering stick of sarcasm, and many of the statements are thought-provoking or just plain funny enough to make special note of. Amuse your friends or pester your enemies with curmudeonly quotes on all manner of subjects.
A KEEPER.......1999-12-06
Calling all cars! Calling all cars! Be on the look-out for a funny, acerbic collection of smart-alec quotes from the 20th century's greatest cynical wags. Suspect is armed and dangerous with several witticisms, hilarious one-liners and quips. Proceed carefully; you could die laughing.
Average customer rating:
|
Encyclopedia of British Humorists: Geoffrey Chaucer to John Cleese (Garland Reference Library of the Humanities)
Steven H. Gale
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Satire, General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Performing Arts
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
| Dance
| Magic & Illusion
| Theater
Literary Theory
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Humor
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
English (All)
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Art
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Humor
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Literature
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Bibliographies & Indexes
| Publishing & Books
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Art & Photography
| Bibliographies & Indexes
| Publishing & Books
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0824059905 |
Book Description
HUMOR IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF BRITISH LIFE AND LITERATURE
In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis's title character observes that Jokes and Flippancy are valued so highly by the English, "who take their 'sense of humour' so seriously that a deficiency in this sense is almost the only deficiency at which they feel shame." J.B. Priestly, too, in a related observation comments: "It is curious that so few foreigners have noticed that we English are a humorous race....In no other country will you hear so much talk about a sense of humour."
COVERS HUMOROUS LITERATURE FROM MEDIEVAL TO MODERN TIMES
Now for the first time, a comprehensive and up-to-date reference work tackles the subject of humor as it has been expressed in British literature, from Beowulf to the present. The 206 signed original essays represent the work of 119 scholars from seven countries and diverse disciplines. Major literary figures such as Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, G.B. Shaw, and Noel Coward are included, as well as lesser known lights such as Francis Beaumont, Stella Gibbons, and George Du Maurier. Readers may be surprised to learn that other literary luminaries such as W.H. Auden, Winston Churchill, Samuel Johnson, and Edith Sitwell have also produced humorous writings.
ANALYZES LITERARY AND COMIC TECHNIQUES
The most important feature of the essays is their literary analysis, which provides an overview of the author's writings, as well as in-depth analyses of comic techniques in the subject's major works. A biography helps place the writer in historical context, providing such information as the place and date of birth, education, honors and achievements, marital status, and place and date of death. In addition to the signed essays, the Encyclopedia includes a preface, a chronological index, a list of pseudonyms, an introduction, a list of the contributors, and an index.
Average customer rating:
- Even a Cynic tires of being a Cynic.
- Funny
- An equal-opportunity offender
- Not as Bitter as Bierce
- mean people smile
|
The Cynic's Dictionary
Rick Bayan
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Essays
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Satire, General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
English (All)
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
English (British)
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Foreign Languages
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Book of Poisonous Quotes
-
The Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation: 101 Things that Annoy, Bother, Chafe, Disturb, Enervate, Frustrate, Grate, Harass, Irk, Jar, Mife, Nettle, Outrage, Peeve, Quassh, Rile, Stress Out, Trouble, Upset, Vex, Worry and X,Y Z You!
-
Cynic's Dictionary
-
The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary
-
Encyclopedia Neurotica
ASIN: 0688151256 |
Amazon.com
A curmudgeon after Ambrose Bierce's heart, Rick Bayan has composed his own witty response to the car phone generation, with more than 900 entries from Abnormal to Zzzzzz. He defines a merger as "When 1 + 1 = 1, with the remainder going on unemployment," neighbors are "the strangers who live next door," and a zoo is "A pleasant and instructive wildlife park, lately denounced for depriving animals of their right to starve or be eaten alive in their natural habitats." Trenchant, mordant, and often funny, Bayan cuts the '90s no slack.
Book Description
For fans of Dave Barry and Gary Larson, 900-plus definitions for the outraged idealist in all of us.
The Cynic's Dictionary fills the need we all have to reassure ourselves that we're right--things are a mess. The world is falling apart. And if we can't always fix it, at least we can still poke fun at it. Brash, bold, and brilliant, irascible and irreverent.
Customer Reviews:
Even a Cynic tires of being a Cynic........2007-06-23
A delightful little tome. It serves no useful purpose other than to a Cynic sharpen and/or expand his skills;or is cynicism a lack thereof?
Yes, being a Cynic takes skill;although the amount needed can be minimal,but can be used with advantage with practice and committment to the art.And yes; it is an awrt;and you have only to true artists to see it being practiced with ease and prefection. If you doubt this;just ask some artist o comment on the work of another. As they say in Mathematics--Q.E.D.--Quod Erat Demonstradum--That which was to be proved.
For anyone trying to improve their skills;this book will be invalual.It is fun to read the definitions Rick Bayan comes up with; but the true mark of greatness if one can produce them on the spur of the moment.That is when a reward of "touche" makes your dedication to the art worthwhile.
Here are a few;
"Klux Klux Klan-Scientific name for the Wkite-Hooded Redneck,a cocky
but cowardlyfowl that must gather in large flocks to prey upon
individuals of supposedly inferior breeds."
"Women's Srudies-The academic discipline devoted to an emerging ethnic
group noted for quaint folk traditions like needlepoint and
witchcraft."
"Virgin-A young innocent who in former times was sacrificed to the gods
but who now merely lives in discrase." (Not bad,but now becoming
outdated.)
Oh yeah;my proof that Cynics tire of themselves.
This book is arranged alphabetically.Since the middle is between M and N ,you would expect as many pages of each. Not so; The first half has 116 while the second half has only74.
Now look at the last entry.
"Zzzz-The sound produced by those who have attempted to read tis entire
dictionary at one sitting."
Oen reviewer suggested it wiuld make a gooh Bathroom Book. Is that what the author meant by "sitting"?
Funny.......2006-07-06
This book was funny. I bought it because it was a discount to get it with Ambrose Bierce's "Devil's Dictionary." I thought this was just as good. A great modern equivalent.
An equal-opportunity offender.......2004-07-01
Rick Bayan leaves nothing and no one unscathed--he exposes the dark underside of everyone and everything for all to see in this book. Everything that bothers you about EVERYTHING we all deal with in life is the victim of Bayan's unyielding criticism. I loved this book though--sometimes I laughed out loud in public because the author cuts to the chase so well. Some of my favorite definitions: Exhaustion--Sufficient cause for the hospitalization of a celebrity; the normal state of existence of the rest of the working world. Hometown: The community that nurtures us during our formative years, so that we might attend a good school, succeed handsomely and spend the rest of our lives somewhere else. You get the idea. Bayan tells it like it is--says on paper what the rest of us are thinking but don't dare say out loud. Great fun!
Not as Bitter as Bierce.......2004-05-01
Ambrose Bierce (aka Bitter Bierce) wrote "The Devil's Dictionary" at the turn of the 20th Century. That 100 year old work still amazes and amuses with definitions such as "Pray--To ask that the laws of the Universe be annulled on behalf of a single petitioner, confessedly unworthy."
This work seeks to mine the same sarcastic vein which Bierce worked to such good effect. The result is somewhat uneven, and Bayan doesn't have quite the command of the English language that Bierce did.
At its best, however, "The Cynic's Dictionary" gives us definitions every bit as funny, not quite as caustic, and much more timely than Bierce's work. E.g.: "Science Fiction--Fairy tales for nerds." As a science fiction fan of many years' standing, I can wholeheartedly endorse that definition.
mean people smile.......2004-03-09
cheaper by the dozen and cheaper than The Onion!
side-splitting humor compiled in a user-friendly format, making it the perfect gift for not just yourself, but all your cynical friends and family.
Great humor at a great price - cannot go wrong here, unless you want to.
Books:
- The Mystery Method: How to Get Beautiful Women Into Bed
- The Peebles Principles: Tales and Tactics from an Entrepreneur's Life of Winning Deals, Succeeding in Business, and Creating a Fortune from Scratch
- The Power of Impossible Thinking: Transform the Business of Your Life and the Life of Your Business
- The Private Life of the Cat Who ...: Tales of Koko and Yum Yum (from the Journals of James Mackintosh Qwilleran)
- The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
- The Winner-Take-All Society: Why the Few at the Top Get So Much More Than the Rest of Us
- The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead
- Thinking with Things: Toward a New Vision of Art
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- FDA Regulatory Affairs: A Guide for Prescription Drugs, Medical Devices, and Biologics
- Zoot Suit and Other Plays
- The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television
- The Harbours of England
- Ultimate Disney Trivia Book 3, The
- When the Wind Blows
- Wildflowers Along the Alaska Highway
- Cost Accounting for Healthcare Organizations: Utilizing Information and Technology for Effective Dec
- The Intelligent Woman's Guide to Socialism and Capitalism
- Laura Stamm's Power Skating
Oxymoronica: Paradoxical Wit & Wisdom From History's Greatest Wordsmiths
Phillips' Book of Great Thoughts & Funny Sayings: A Stupendous Collection of Quotes, Quips, Epigrams, Witticisms, and Humorous Comments. For Personal Enjoyment and Ready Reference.
1001 Motivational Quotes for Success: Great Quotes from Great Minds
Great Quotes from Great Leaders
Viva la Repartee: Clever Comebacks and Witty Retorts from History's Great Wits and Wordsmiths
