Customer Reviews

The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, the author of such books as "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" among others, was a highly intelligent and incredibly witty man. His keen observations of the world, and the often satirical commentary he made on it, are a delight to read, and this book pulls together some real gems from many of his books, speeches, and personal notebooks. There are some 358 quotations included, divided into categories as follows: (1) on men, women, children, and human nature, (2) on love, marriage, and romance, (3) on virtue, vice, and conduct, (4) on politics and history, (5) on religion, (6) on youth and aging, (7) on truth, honesty, lies, and illusion, (8) on reading, writing, and education, (9) on health and exercise, (10) on money and business, (11) on travel, and (12) on various other subjects. Each quote is attributed to its source for easy reference. This is a very slim and very affordable little volume, only fifty-five pages in length, and in fact my only criticism is that it doesn't include more material. But it is still well worth getting, and at this price it won't break any pocketbooks.

Here is a small selection of what you can expect:

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society" (pg. 3).

"Familiarity breeds contempt -- and children" (pg. 7).

"It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them" (pg. 15).

"Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself" (pg. 23).

"Heaven for climate, Hell for company" (pg. 28).

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years" (pg. 28).

I have always been a fan of Mark Twain since I first read Huck Finn.

This is a great little book his quotations from his writings and speeches.

It's a nice little stocking stuffer as the book is small.

Some of my favorites:

"Classic." A book which people praise and don't read.

Honesty is the best policy--when there is money in it.

Some people like when they tell the truth. I tell the truth lying.

In God We Trust. I don't belive it would sound any better if it were true.

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.

Martyrdom covers a multitude of sins.

When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries of life disappear and life stands explained.

Enjoy few quotes from this humorous book, then go and buy a copy:

ADVERTISING

During his days as a journalist, the young Mark Twain once edited a small newspaper in Missouri. A subscriber wrote in, saying that he had found a spider in his paper and asked whether this was a sign of good or bad uck. Twain answered:

"Dear Subscriber: Finding a spider in your paper was neither good luck nor bad luck for you. The spider was merely looking over our paper to see which merchant is not advertising so that he can go to that store, spin his web across the door and lead a life of undisturbed peace ever afterward."

ADVICE

It is beter to give than receive - especially advice. Mark Twain was always willing to donate free advice to the needy and the unsuspecting. "It's notble to be good", he said, "and it's nobler to teach others to be good, and less trouble."

Whenever you find that you are on the side of majority, it is time to reform (- or pause and reflect).

BELIEFS

If the man doesn't believe as we do, we say he is a crank, and that settles it. I mean, it does nowadays, because now we can't burn him.

SURGERY

Mark Twain offered this advice on the proper state of mind for undergoing surgery: "Console yourself with the reflection that you are giving the doctor pleasure, and that he is getting paid for it."

INSULTS

When Mark Twain disapproved of someone, he was not likely o keep it a secret. A remark he made on hearing of the death of an annoying person is typical:

"He has done a thing for me which I wouldn't even have done for myself. If he will only stay dead now I will call the account square and drop the grudge I bear him."

A hilarious book of qoutes, sayings, and one-liners only Mark Twain could have the genious to create.

A qoute from Adam, the first of many: Adam was but human - this explains it all. He did not want the apple for the apple's sake, he wanted it only because it was forbidden. The mistake was in not forbidding the serpent; then he would have eaten the serpent.

From Adam, the wit and humor only becomes more hysterical, more riveting, more evident; and we soon discover the true intelligence of Mark Twain. He was not an ordinary man; for no mere ordinary man could have thought, and often dared, to utter such words as Mark Twain, in the era in which he lived.

The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain contains some of his most outrageous qoutes, either written within his books, or his journals, and spanning more than four decades. A great read, which you don't have to start at the beginning, and work your way to the end. And a perfect way to escape the drollery of prime time television.

Mark Twain captures human nature at it's best and worst in this book. The collection of quotes by Twain "alphabetically" comment honestly on topics ranging from adultery to government to money to youth. Such insight into humanity rarely comes along in a lifetime (or several lifetimes!) His words in truly reflect society during his lifespan and, as I have reread this book several times, the passages reflect society today. This book is an "easy read" as it contains memorable quotes as well as portions of a variety of speeches, papers and books/stories Mr. Twian wrote. You can read the entire book at one sitting or glance through it if you have a few minutes to spare and still feel the impact of his writings , thus finding yourself highly amused by his insight. You can pick up the book again at a later time and enjoy it as much as before. The "authors"/collectors/writers of this book are to be applauded.

Mark Twain was one of the funniest human beings that ever visited this planet. He was also a very decent one . He was skeptically wise and had the ability to a sentence or two put the most pretentious of all creatures , the human one, in its place.
This is the man who upon the premature publication of an obituary about him, replied " The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated".
One special reason I have a particular love for his work, is the fact that he of all the great writers, showed the most sympathy and insight into the life and situation of the Jews.
He is one of the few writers who it seems to me never has to try to be funny, because he simply is.
This collection of some of his most famous quips and remarks is a real treat.

Great book! Bought as a gift for my drama students as a momento for a play we did on his life. Entertaining to read with a group of people - to talk about and discuss!

And so it goes, page after page. You'll find your favorites.

"Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time." Pudd'nhead Wilson 1894, ch 6.

There's how Mr. Ayres presents them from a variety of sources, Twain's books as well as speeches, his notebook and essays and a few from letters and some listed as attributed to him. I have a nice collection of books on my favorite subjects but this simple one, nothing fancy, is one I go back to time and again. I find myself quoting him in various contexts and glad that I know the quotes. the art of Mr. Ayres is to cull out the various quotes from so many sources. Twain said them, Ayres found them and put them together very sensibly by catagories such as Heroism, Music andd Right and Wrong. It's an A to Z compendium. You'll find plenty of lively, homespun quotes that often feel like the very heart of the American character. Can't go wrong with this book.

...of spicy quotations by the master of words and wit. Gives sources too. Very enjoyable reading.

For wit and wisdom, you needn't look further than Mark Twain. 5 Stars on the book, just by default. Except for the last few pages where the editor, Alex Ayres, includes a bunch of his own gratuitous "What Mark Twain might say today" quotations. Which are neither witty, clever, nor memorable, but just plain dumb and a moronic insult. The nerve of such a person to append their own lame crap to the work of a genius. Imagine a book about Rembrandt with a glossary of the author's bad paintings. A CD collection of Paganini with some joker adding bonus tracks sawing out his own lame violin licks. Unthinkable. Obviously, Ayres is a deluded nonentity, but what was the publisher thinking??????