The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "If not for an aphorism by W. H. Auden, I might never have met my wife..." (more)
Key Phrases: Poor Richard, Gospel of Thomas, San Francisco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's not a stretch to say Geary is obsessed with aphorisms. Ever since discovering the literary form in the "Quotable Quotes" section of Reader's Digest when he was a child, he has been compiling them. Given his level of passion, it's fitting that he has penned what is probably the definitive work on aphorisms, a love letter– cum–memoir disguised as a reference book. It also explains why he occasionally gets so carried away that he describes Nietzsche as "the Evil [sic] Knievel of nineteenth-century philosophy" and Frenchman Joseph Joubert as "the great apostle of the aphorism." But Geary, deputy editor of the European edition of Time magazine, is also a veteran newsman, and for the most part he tones down the hype. He provides a useful definition—an aphorism is brief, definitive, personal, philosophical and must have a twist—along with lively thumbnail sketches of some of the masters of the form, among them Ludwig Wittgenstein and Mark Twain, "who deliberately set out to overturn [Benjamin] Franklin's friendly, avuncular sayings with his own darker, more ornery aphorisms." Geary's enthusiasm may overwhelm as much as it enlightens, but fellow fanatics will be delighted. (Oct.)
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From Booklist

What a pleasant, personal, thoughtful little book--and on such an unlikely subject. "Aphorisms are the original oracles," Geary writes, dating back to a time when books were few and people who could read them fewer still. The culture of the world was oral--this was in the time of Lao-tzu, the possibly mythical Chinese scholar--and a wise saying was passed on, down the generational line, until it became, well . . . an aphorism, a small statement that reveals a larger truth. There are rules, the author tells us, for aphorisms, five of them, in fact. Keep it short, definitive (no waffling allowed), and personal. It should have a twist, some hidden meaning or surprise. And it must be philosophical in nature, forcing you to contemplate how universal truths are hidden in the particulars of daily life. Naturally, Geary's account is full of wonderful aphorisms ("the limits of my language mean the limits of my world"), and Geary introduces the reader to some of history's key aphorists, including Buddha, William Blake, and (of course) Benjamin Franklin. Delightful. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA; 2nd ptg edition (October 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582344302
• ISBN-13: 978-1582344300
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #487,190 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, March 15, 2006

By	angela bardoe (new jersey) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book was amazing! Not only did it include quirky, enlightening, and thought-prokoking aphorisms, but it also gave a background about the writer of the aphorisms too. needless to say, this has sent me on numerous tangents wanting to learn more. I have bought four or five other books since based on what I read here. I'm sure I will be reading this one over and over again. Couldn't reccommend it enough.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the love of Aphorisms, December 18, 2005

By	Shalom Freedman "Shalom Freedman" (Jerusalem,Israel) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

I understand Mr. Geary well, for I have also loved and cherished Aphorisms from my childhood.
The idea of finding 'wisdom' and 'insight into life' in one brief memorable sentence has long been part of my reading and thinking.
I do not know however, if I would , exactly accept his definition of the Aphorism as it seems to me that there are 'Aphorisms' which do not require some kind of 'twist' or ' surprise' but simply by their profundity overwhelm and reverberate in our consciousness.
Consider Pascal's " The silence of these infinite spaces casts me into dread" or Wittgenstein's " Of that which we cannot speak, we must be silent".
And as I say this I wonder if I am not perhaps going beyond the bounds of the 'Aphorism' and simply assuming that it contains 'all memorable statements'.
In any case there is much to be learned and enjoyed in this historical excursion into one of Literature and Life's most delightful forms.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Writing Your Own Bible, April 19, 2006

By	Ii Naotaka (between Continents) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

James Geary explores the history and development of aphoristic expression in this useful little book, and he does so by both entertaining and informing in the way aphorisms do. His last chapter is about the Jefferson Bible, and it sums up his project very nicely. As Geary concludes in the end, "aphorisms are the elixir of life," for only they "tell it like it really is." So reading Geary's book can be like walking through a minefield populated with the most exquisite fauna, a bracing and hazardous experience that is also filled with wonder. Those who live in the warm embrace of received wisdom, and who comfort themselves with rosey reliance on conformity in thought and deed, will not enjoy this journey. But as the book points out in quoting Jenny Holzer, "playing it safe can cause a lot of damage in the long run." Reading this book now after having read many of the authors Geary surveys, and having learned to my delight of those unknown to me, I was encouraged to press on in my own way of thinking, to stop doubting myself. There is not a self-help book in the world that will bully you into your sense the way Nietzsche or Chamfort can with an absolute economy of words. Geary's book was such a breath of fresh air, especially in this age of spin and lies, because he brings the reader face to face with those who spoke directly without apology about the truth of the human condition.