Nice Guys Finish Seventh: False Phrases, Spurious Sayings, and Familiar Misquotations (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Gone are the days when a book of quotations was just that--a list of bons mots arranged by author or subject, usually accompanied by the source of the quote. Now the expression must be explained (both in and out of context), its source discussed, and its content compared with what others have said, an approach that meets with varying degrees of success. With its lengthy bibliography and copious "Notes" section, Keyes's book has a much more scholarly tone than Tad Tuleja's Quirky Quotations ( LJ 8/92). There is also an extensive keyword index and author index. This talky tome will appeal more to borrowers than to reference librarians. Buy one for each if your budget allows.
- Paula M. Zieselman, Fulbright & Jaworski, New York
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

A book my friend Gene Shalit sent me the other day [is] called appropriately enough "Nice Guys Finish Seventh." ... If you want to know more of who didn't say what -- including a whole list of things that Mark Twain never said -- get the book. --Michael G. Gartner in the Louisville Courier-Journal

Keyes's research unearths interesting, often surprising facts about who said what when -- as well as enough errors in standard references to suggest his volume deserves a place in most quotation collections. --Booklist

Lively, informed...Reading this is great fun. --Seattle Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (September 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062720392
• ISBN-13: 978-0062720399
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,763,455 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If only I had bought this sooner ...., September 12, 2007

By	J. R. Burns (San Francisco Bay Area) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Prior to making a technical presentation in China, I asked my translator to quickly write 'One picture is worth a thousand words' on one of the transparencies. He was not aware of this ancient Chinese proverb.

It was only on my return to the US that I found this book and "The Rules of Misquotation - Corollary 2F: In a pinch, any orphan quote can be called a Chinese proverb". Frederick Barnard did so in 1927 ...