Rate this book

If Ignorance Is Bliss, Why Aren't There More Happy People?: Smart Quotes For Dumb Times (2008)

by John Lloyd(Favorite Author)

3.88 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0307460665 (ISBN13: 9780307460660)

languge

English

genre

Humor

publisher

Crown

review 1: Not just the usual suspects, this anthology of quotes is thoughtful, surprising, and, despite its brevity, remarkably rich and wide-ranging in its selections. The title quote, for example, is by Victor Cousins, a 19th century French philosopher—three surprises there: time, nationality and occupation. Really? A French philosopher from the 19th century with a 20th or 21st century stand up comedian’s deadpan humor? The editors toss in some mini commentaries on selected contributors, helpful, ironic, or just amusing. About Tony Petito who said, “In most instances, all an argument proves is that two people are present,” they write: “Listed everywhere against this one quote, with no other details provided, he might be an arts administrator in New Jersey, the founding a... morertistic director of Singapore Repertory Theater, or a singer in an a cappela group on Long Island.” One never knows, do one? Other opportunities to assist are left untouched. There is no note, for example, regarding whom Robert Schumann was lauding with “Hats off, gentlemen, a genius!” Was it himself or someone else? It means something different. When Fats Waller says of Art Tatum, “Ladies and gentlemen, I play piano but God is in the house” much is said of both Mr. Tatum and Mr. Waller. (Thanks to the miracle of Google, Schumann was referring to Chopin.) Philosophers, writers, comedians, politicians, artists, scientists, musicians, and many near anonymous and anonymous folks are included here. Other than making sure that as many of former President Bush (W.) linguistic embarrassments are captured, there seems no agenda to the compilation. It mixes the inspirational with the cynical, the profound with the ridiculous (an obscenely funny quote from Steve Martin about mothballs), the witty and the foolish, the self-deprecating with the bombastic. Some random favorites: “Facing it, always facing it, that’s the way to get through. Face it.” (Joseph Conrad) “We are here on Earth to do good to others. What the others are here for, I don’t know.” (W.H. Auden) “I have noticed that nothing I have never said ever did me any harm.” (Calvin Coolidge) “These are my principles and if you don’t like them…well, I’ve got others.” (Groucho Marx) “The future is made of the same stuff as the present.” (Simone Weill) “There are two rules for success: 1) Never tell everything you know.” (Roger H. Lincoln) Emerson, Goethe, Joubert, the Greeks, Einstein (and Mrs. Einstein), Thurber, Wilde, King, Gandhi, Churchill and all the others are here. So too is Stephen Wright and, alas, Jack Handey, one surreally funny and the other so really not. Unlike many quote books that are useful reference works, offering browsing pleasures, this one is enjoyable to read straight through because of the editors’ fondness for humor and because the arranging of quotes by theme and the sequencing of them within themes frequently results in an almost narrative flow. There are some errors here and there: a quote about trees (by Willa Cather) is uncredited; Getrude Stein is said to have been from Oak Park, Illinois, where Hemingway hailed from but not Stein; one or two contributors didn’t make it into the index, but minor stuff in a book that is major pleasure.
review 2: "Ninety percent of politicians give the other ten percent a bad name.""Someone has tabulated that we have thirty-five million laws on the books to enforce the Ten Commandments.""For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe.""If you haven't got anything nice to say about anybody, come sit next to me.""Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.""That which has been accepted by everyone, everywhere, is almost certain to be false.""Let the people think they govern, and they will be governed." "Life is tough. Three out of three people die, so shut up and deal." less

Download links for: If Ignorance Is Bliss, Why Aren't There More Happy People?: Smart Quotes for Dumb Times

Advertising