Customer Reviews

Distory: A Treasury of Historical Insults

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History and Language are incomplete without a study of the art of cursing. This is because it takes superior wit to pull it off.
In Distory, we are treated to a feast of mordant vituperatives compiled from the annals of history. This small book--179 pages-- has chapters focussing on some insults of notable Americans, Brits, and nations. It concludes with some unclassified extras.
Readers who expect to find funny insults, though there are some, will be disappointed. Others who suppose to pick up some quotable quotes will share a similar fate. The collection is simply an entertaining peek into the thoughts of famous men and their contemporaries.
Most of the material is lively, however when compared to the political and journalistic discourse of nowadays, they look rather tame. Harry Truman's comments were weak, undeserving of the pages of the book. Attention should rather be given to Winston Churchill and Ben Franklin, my caustic favorites.
Distory is for those looking for nice metaphors and historical figures. Anyone else; not for you.

There were a few funny insults in this book, but most were neither funny nor interesting. Detailed background to accompany each insult would have helped, but overall Distory was a big disappointment.

This is only a small,hardcover tome, about the same size of a paperback. Don't let that fool you as it's 179 pages is packed with some of the most biting sarcasm and timely retorts you're likely to find anywhere.
It covers some of the best known politicans and military figures;mainly from America and Britain;with a smattering from other countries. The author titled his chapter on "Insulting miscellany from around the world "
--SLAMAGUNDI--what a word!
What I really like is when ,after a good insult on someone, ends up with even a better one handed right back. How's this;

Lord Sandwich: You will die either on the gallows or of the pox.

John Wilkes: That must depend on whether I embrace your lordship's
principles or your mistress.

And then these;

An economic fatalist with a God-given inertia.He knew nothing and
refused to learn.--W.A.White,Journalist on Calvin Coolidge

I am not fit for this office and should never have been here.
--Warren G. Harding on himself

How many divisions has he got?--Josef Stalin,on Pope Pius XI

Then there are words that one wish were not said;

The Americans cannot build airplanes.They are very good at
refrigerators and razor blades. --Herman Goering

Some great lines and likely to amuse just aout anyone.

This book has a lot of entertaining quotes for people who enjoy clever insults. However, there are serious problems with this work and so I cannot recommend it.

As has been stated in another review, some of the quotes are weak at best. The Truman quotes are a good example; they were obviously culled from some writing in which the former president was commenting on past presidents. Thus do we get this trivial comment on John Adams: "It's just that he wasn't very special." Why were such things included? Obviously, it is just filler.

Other quotes are given with no context or "misfiled," in my opinion. He quotes a member of the British Parliament declaring to Neville Chamberlain "you have sat too long here for any good you have been doing," et cetera, but neglects the fact that that comment was actually quoting Oliver Cromwell haranguing the Rump Parliament in 1653. In a chapter on insults directed at nations under those for the United States he includes an insult of the Native Americans by Henry Clay. The review of Margaret Truman and her father's infamous letter to the critic are included--more filler.

The worst sin, though, is the fact that there are errors and misquotes. Truman is quoted again saying of Harold Ickes "he is no better than the common cold." Truman actually said "he was no better than a common scold" in Merle Miller's Plain Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman. The use of the word "the" convinces me this is not an unfortunate typo, it is misunderstanding what Truman said. Also, the author credits a quote on Henry Wallace, in which Wallace is described as "a muddled, totally irrational man," to Truman, when it is actually a footnote by Miller. I easily spotted those and there are bound to be others.

There is no bibliography. I would guess Robert Schnakenberg got ahold of a few books devoted to quotes, insults or anecdotes and threw this work together.

I found the contents amusing, although it could have included quotes from actors/actresses, movie moguls, etc., and to omit Dorothy Parker was a tragedy. I thought it could have gleaned more than what it did.

Schnakenberg strikes again! This book is an awesome idea and a hilarious read. I always need a little light reading for my hot-air-balloon expeditions, and DISTORY fit the bill nicely (for the uninitiated, ballooning requires a lot of "down time" while waiting for the chase vehicle to pick you up). Anyway, having gone through the book once already, it now resides in a prominent place in my bathroom's magazine rack, where it is put to use often. In fact, it must be said, DISTORY is the perfect book for passing time on the sh*tter!

If there was some kind of award for "Best Restroom Read of the Year"... DISTORY would flush the competition down the toilet.

For further comedy, check out Schnakenberg's bio of William Shatner.... HAHAHA.