Review by Booklist Review
What a pleasant, personal, thoughtful little book--and on such an unlikely subject. Aphorisms are the original oracles, Geary writes, dating back to a time when books were few and people who could read them fewer still. The culture of the world was oral--this was in the time of Lao-tzu, the possibly mythical Chinese scholar--and a wise saying was passed on, down the generational line, until it became, well . . . an aphorism, a small statement that reveals a larger truth. There are rules, the author tells us, for aphorisms, five of them, in fact. Keep it short, definitive (no waffling allowed), and personal. It should have a twist, some hidden meaning or surprise. And it must be philosophical in nature, forcing you to contemplate how universal truths are hidden in the particulars of daily life. Naturally, Geary's account is full of wonderful aphorisms (the limits of my language mean the limits of my world ), and Geary introduces the reader to some of history's key aphorists, including Buddha, William Blake, and (of course) Benjamin Franklin. Delightful. --David Pitt Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
It's not a stretch to say Geary is obsessed with aphorisms. Ever since discovering the literary form in the "Quotable Quotes" section of Reader's Digest when he was a child, he has been compiling them. Given his level of passion, it's fitting that he has penned what is probably the definitive work on aphorisms, a love letter- cum-memoir disguised as a reference book. It also explains why he occasionally gets so carried away that he describes Nietzsche as "the Evil [sic] Knievel of nineteenth-century philosophy" and Frenchman Joseph Joubert as "the great apostle of the aphorism." But Geary, deputy editor of the European edition of Time magazine, is also a veteran newsman, and for the most part he tones down the hype. He provides a useful definition an aphorism is brief, definitive, personal, philosophical and must have a twist along with lively thumbnail sketches of some of the masters of the form, among them Ludwig Wittgenstein and Mark Twain, "who deliberately set out to overturn [Benjamin] Franklin's friendly, avuncular sayings with his own darker, more ornery aphorisms." Geary's enthusiasm may overwhelm as much as it enlightens, but fellow fanatics will be delighted. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Journalist Geary (The Body Electric: An Anatomy of the New Bionic Senses) here offers his personal "bible, a blast of triumph from the great aphorists." This quote contrasts with the comprehensive approach implied in the book's subtitle and also reveals Geary's true purpose: to document how aphorisms impacted him spiritually. Personal experiences, such as how the Chinese book of wisdom, I Ching, helped him recover from a failed relationship, are incorporated with chronological biographies of notable wise women and men. While Geary presents an admirable range of authors, from Confucius to Emily Dickinson to Dr. Seuss, there are glaring omissions. For example, he devotes the section on Jesus to explaining how the aphorisms from the extra-biblical Gospel of Thomas are more intriguing than those in the New Testament but presents nothing from other, more obvious biblical sources like the book of Proverbs. The chronological scheme hinders access to aphorisms by topic, although a general index is included. The book acts as a helpful introduction to aphorisms, but at heart it remains a readable collection of one person's favorites. An optional purchase for large collections.-Marianne Orme, Des Plaines P.L., IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
