Viva la Repartee: Clever Comebacks and Witty Retorts from History's Great Wits and Wordsmiths (Hardcover)

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Key Phrases: screen repartee, chiastic repartee, written repartee, New York City, Winston Churchill, World War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A glittering display of comebacks and put-downs from the funniest people on earth." -- -- Robert Byrne, compiler of The 2,548 Best Things Anybody Ever Said

"A joyously fun compendium of wit and one-upmanship by the world’s great riposte artists....A brilliant stocking stuffer." -- Forbes FYI

"Ever wish you could wow people with your wit? Viva la Repartee, by Mardy Grothe, tells you how. " -- Dallas Morning News

"If words could be weapons, this book is a collection of weapons of mass delectation." -- -- Anu Garg, author of Another Word A Day

"If you’ve ever delivered a razor-sharp riposte or rebuff...you’ll savor this collection." -- Hartford Courant

"It’s a must for anyone who loves a quick word from a quick wit." -- -- Erin McKean, editor of Verbatim: The Language Quarterly

"Mardy Grothe's exquisite collection of retorts, ripostes, and rebuffs celebrates language in\ its most clever, precise, and hilarious form." -- -- Richard Lederer, author of Anguished English

"Mardy Grothe’s exquisite collection of retorts, ripostes, and rebuffs celebrates language in its most clever, precise, and hilarious form." -- -- Richard Lederer, author of Anguished English

"Viva La Repartee is a spectacular feast of the most brilliant retorts and wittiest zingers ever delivered." -- -- Don Hauptman, author of Cruel and Unusual Puns and Acronymania

Review

"Ever wish you could wow people with your wit? Viva la Repartee, by Mardy Grothe, tells you how. " (Dallas Morning News )

"A joyously fun compendium of wit and one-upmanship by the world's great riposte artists....A brilliant stocking stuffer." (Forbes FYI )

"If you've ever delivered a razor-sharp riposte or rebuff...you'll savor this collection." (Hartford Courant )

"Mardy Grothe's exquisite collection of retorts, ripostes, and rebuffs celebrates language in its most clever, precise, and hilarious form." (-- Richard Lederer, author of Anguished English )

"If words could be weapons, this book is a collection of weapons of mass delectation." (-- Anu Garg, author of Another Word A Day )

"It's a must for anyone who loves a quick word from a quick wit." (-- Erin McKean, editor of Verbatim: The Language Quarterly )

"A glittering display of comebacks and put-downs from the funniest people on earth." (-- Robert Byrne, compiler of The 2,548 Best Things Anybody Ever Said )

"Viva La Repartee is a spectacular feast of the most brilliant retorts and wittiest zingers ever delivered." (-- Don Hauptman, author of Cruel and Unusual Puns and Acronymania )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harper (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060789484
• ISBN-13: 978-0060789480
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #155,746 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Viva Grothe!, November 1, 2005

By	Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Those who have already read Grothe's Oxymoronica will thoroughly enjoy this volume in which he shifts his attention from "paradoxical wit and wisdom from history's greatest wordsmiths" to "clever comebacks & witty retorts from history's great wits & wordsmiths." Not surprisingly and in fact inevitably, many of the same wordsmiths are represented in both volumes, notably Robert C. Benchley, Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), Winston Churchill, W.C. Fields, Dorothy Parker, and Oscar Wilde.

In his introduction, Grothe defines two terms which certainly apply to the selections which follow: citing the OED, a retort is "a sharp or incisive reply, especially one by which the first speaker's statement or argument is in some way turned against himself" and repartee is "1. A ready, witty, or smart reply; a quick and clever retort" and "2. Sharpness or wit in sudden reply; such replies collectively; the practice or faculty of uttering them." With great skill, Grothe creates a context within which each selection is the response. Here are four examples:

During a noted opera singer's "perfectly dreadful performance," one of the guests leaned over and whispered in President Calvin Coolidge's ear, "What do you think of the singer's execution?" to which Coolidge replied, "I'm all for it."

Shortly before his death, W.C. Fields (a lifelong agnostic) was visited by a friend who was astonished when he entered the hospital room. "What are you doing reading a Bible?" to which Fields responded "I'm looking for loopholes."

After losing the Republican presidential nomination to George H.W. Bush, Robert Dole was asked by a reporter how he felt. "Contrary to reports that I took the loss badly, I slept like a baby -- every two hours I woke up and cried."

Paired with an inept bridge partner, George S. Kaufman fumed as the losses increased. At one point, his partner headed for the men's room. The frustrated Kaufman yelled after him, "For the first time tonight, I'll know what you have in your hand."

Of special interest to me is the structure by which Grothe organizes his material. There are fifteen chapters which range from "Classic Retorts, Ripostes, & Rejoinders" to "Risqué Repartee." He includes in each those selections which are most appropriate to the given chapter title, although the best of them could arguably be included in several (if not most) of the chapters. For example, one of my favorites. Here's the situation. Obviously annoyed by an inebriated Winston Churchill, Lady Astor said "Winston, if you were my husband, I'd put poison in your coffee" to which he responded, "Nancy, if you were my wife, I'd drink it." Here's another. When a female member of Parliament, Bessie Matlock, could no longer endure Churchill at a London party, she exclaimed "Winston, you're drunk!" to which he replied, "You're right Bessie. And you're ugly. But tomorrow morning, I'll be sober."

I hope these various examples correctly indicate how entertaining this book is. Credit Grothe with quality of his selections and the brilliance of their presentation. As another holiday season approaches, I cannot think of better books to give as gifts than the two Grothe has created, Oxymoronica and viva la repartee.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaing collection, December 2, 2005

By	Jerry Saperstein (Evanston, IL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Whether for personal entertainment or plagarizing --- I mean, researching --- "memorable retorts, ripostes, combacks, quips, ad-libs, bon mots, off-the-cuff comments, wisecracks and other clever remarks," you'll find "Viva la Repartee" an invaluable source. Dr. Grothe has done considerable research of his or her own and assembled quite a collection.

Far more than once, I found myself spontaneously laughing at some of the clever wit on display in this relatively thin book. Dr. Mardy's commentary is also not only insightful, but amusing as well.

Put some brightness in your day and get this book. And if you're a writer of any kind, definitely get this book: it is a rich resource.

Jerry

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BE WARNED!, May 27, 2006

By	Bart King (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Much as overindulgence on bon-bons can lead to deleterious effects, so can feasting on too many bon mots. After staying up late and stuffing myself on the witticisms of George Bernard Shaw, Dorothy Parker, and company, I found myself looking for any angle to slip in a quip. And after reading this amusing and well-researched book, I am loaded with ammo.