Customer Reviews

The Viking Book of Aphorisms

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The quotes and aphorisms in the Viking Book of Aphorisms are book are well-chosen and brilliant. It's a great book to leave on a table somewhere, so you and guests can open it to a random page, read a few quotations, and then put it down. Sometimes it's hard to put down! I own a few other quotation and aphorism books, and I was happy to see that this one is filled with quotations that I hadn't seen in other collections. Unfortunately, this one does not list the works from which the quotations are sourced - it only lists the writers' last names. Pretty lame, but not worth knocking off a star. Just know that before you buy it!

If you don't already own any aphorism books, another good choice is the Oxford Book of Aphorisms. Or, for those with cynical minds, The Cassell Dictionary Of Cynical Quotations. These two list the source works, too.

I have several books of Aphorisms, but this is the best compilation I own. It is one of my favorite books. The subject matters include Humanity, Religion and God, Nature, Education, Society, The Sexes, Love-Marriage-Friendship, The Professions, History, Action, Science, The Arts, States and Government, The Life of the Mind, Life's Minor Pleasures and Trials, and Aces of Man. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a thoughtful compilation.