'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.' -- Derek Bok 'I don't want to achieve immortality through my work...I want to achieve it through not dying.' -- Woody Allen 'Life loves the liver of it' -- Maya Angelou An indispensable and comprehensive reference for writers, speakers, educators, executives, and curious browsers, the Chambers Dictionary of Quotations offers more than 20,000 quotations spanning all historical periods and covering diverse aspects of human experience, from politics and feminism, literature and sex, to nature, notable persons, and more. International in scope and broad in coverage, this compendium gathers together notable quotes -- many of which have never been collected before -- from more than 4,000 sources including such contemporary quotables as Salman Rushdie, Maya Angelou, and Henry Kissinger. Each quote is fully annotated, reliably sourced, and put in context along with concise biographical information on its author. Alphabetically arranged by speaker, and extensively cross-referenced, this easy-to-use reference includes a detailed index that facilitates searches by keyword. Readers can quickly locate a quotation on a particular subject, check a half-remembered line, sample the style and philosophy of an author or simply browse through and savor the accumulated wit and wisdom of the ages. The ultimate source of who said what -- and when they said it.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Similar in size, scope, and arrangement to The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (Oxford Univ., 1996. 4th ed.), this collection offers an impressive array of notable and quotable gems. It aims simply to present "the most memorable comments on all aspects of human experience throughout the ages." The numbered quotations are arranged alphabetically by speaker and then chronologically where two or more passages are included. A keyword index cites speaker, page, and entry number. Comparison with Oxford shows an advantage both in breadth and depth of coverage. When a speaker is found in both works (e.g., R. Buckminster Fuller, Groucho Marx, and Simone de Beauvoir), Chambers will often offer more quotations than Oxford. Chambers often extends its parameters beyond Oxford's Britain and United States, quoting, for example, such notable Canadians as Robertson Davies, Margaret Atwood, Mordecai Richler, and Brian Mulroney. Chambers also transcends the confines of the gentlemen's club of quoted authors by citing Marguerite Yourcenar, Anna Quindlen, Cynthia Ozick, and Camille Paglia, which Oxford does not, and it recognizes non-Anglo writers, e.g., Wole Soyinka, Maya Angelou, Carlos Fuentes, Derek Walcott, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez?all missing from Oxford. These factors recommend Chambers over Oxford and make it a worthy addition to any reference collection.?Carolyn M. Mulac, Chicago P.L.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
According to the introduction, this new quotations dictionary "takes a fresh look at what a quotation is, and sees it as not just a literary nugget in the traditional manner but as any recorded piece of spoken or written language that expresses an idea or thought in an interesting way." There are more than 20,000 quotations from more than 4,000 sources. Quotations are arranged alphabetically by author, from Abbott, Diane Julie, the first black woman member of Parliament; to Zwerlin, Mike, U.S. writer and jazz musician. Just these two examples are an indication of the diversity the editors have sought in the people who are represented by the quotes. Among the other sources to be found here, besides the expected Bible, Shakespeare, Greek philosophers, and British poets, are John Cleese, Newt Gingrich, Charles Revson, and Desmond Tutu.
Birth and death dates (when relevant) are supplied for each author, as well as a brief summary of biographical facts. These summaries are useful because they help put the quotations in context and because many of the authors are not exactly household names. Whenever possible, a date and source for each quotation are provided. Quotations are numbered from 1 to 99 and then begin again with 1. The keyword index refers to page number and quotation number on the page.
Any new quotation dictionary must be compared with Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, now in its sixteenth edition [RBB N 1 92]. The arrangement of Bartlett's is chronological rather than alphabetical, which gives each quotation a valuable historical context but also requires the extra step of consulting the author index in order to locate what was said or written by a particular individual. Bartlett's contains fewer quotations (22,500) from fewer sources (2,550). Although there is naturally a great deal of overlap, there are numerous sources found in only one of the two volumes. In Bartlett's are quotes from Bud Abbott, Cesar Chavez, Louise Erdrich, Elton John, Chief Joseph, and Bruce Springsteen. In Chambers are quotes from Bella Abzug, Dean Acheson, Douglas Adams, Malcolm Forbes, Lance Ito, and Robert McNamara. Bartlett's emphasis tends to be more literary, though it also has more celebrities. Chambers draws its sources from more walks of life and also has a more British slant. Chambers, being newer, has more recent quotes, such as O. J. Simpson's "Absolutely 100 percent not guilty." Chambers is also the only one to quote the American Library Association--"The computer is a fast idiot" (1964).
As the Board has often noted, most libraries need more than one book of quotations. Chambers Dictionary of Quotations is a good choice for libraries that want to broaden and update their holdings.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The use of quotations is always useful.,
By Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Chambers Dictionary of Quotations (Hardcover)
It was Tennyson who referred to an "Indolent chorus of reviewers" and, in so doing, gave us who review the work of others our collective noun. Though not as grand as a "Pride" of lions, had he been alive in early 2009, doubtless he would have come up with something akin to an "Arrogant grasp of bankers!" Before reading any further, there are those who might now think, albeit momentarily, I have an intimate knowledge of the works of Alfred Lord Tennyson which allows me to quote freely. Regrettably, in my school, the English teacher thought Shakespeare was something one did with a javelin and I have no such knowledge.
I used that quotation simply to make this point; Whenever a writer uses quotations attributed to well known author or learned source, it gives the impression of that writer being well-read and, consequently, far more qualified to write on whatever subject is to hand. A book of quotations is, therefore, essential for any writer and, over many years, I have tried several. The Chambers Dictionary of Quotations is straightforward and easily one of the very best on the market. The attributable sources for all quotations are laid out in alphabetical order. Thus, should you wish to quote extensively from a specific source, each notable (and quotable) quotation will be found under their name - a process which utilises 937 pages. Equally as important, a 341 page index then lists each quote again by subject. Under "Shipwreck," for example, there are three quotations from three different sources whereas under "Science" there are almost 200. In short, whatever your subject, there is a suitable quote from an authentic and notable source listed in this book. Furthermore, with the book being laid out in a no-nonsense manner, you to find that quote with considerable ease. NM
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worth a look,
By
This review is from: Chambers Dictionary of Quotations (Hardcover)
There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of quotation books. But not many offer over 20,000 quotations. This one falls into the group of massive quotation books that are categorized by author, rather than by subject. it makes it easier to familiarize yourself with the thoughts of a specific writer or speaker, but harder to find quotes based on topic or subject. You have to compare this with the grand old book of author categorized quotations-- Bartletts. And this book comes out looking pretty good, with more than 50% more sources of quotations, including some very unique contemporary ones. While I tend to prefer subject categorized book, I've found this one to be fun to browse. It's still too much effort to dig through these author categorized ones while doing an in depth subject search, but it is an excellent book, in the same general class as Bartlett's and Oxford. The cover looks a bit stodgy, but inside, there are a wealth of new faces with new ideas. The publisher reports that a team of 40 researchers worked on this. This is particularly reflected in the great job they do of putting a decent bio of each speaker right there where the quotes are-- no need to dig the info up from the back of the book.
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