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The New Yale Book of Quotations
A revised, enlarged, and updated edition of this authoritative and entertaining reference book—named the #2 essential home library reference book by the Wall Street Journal
“Shapiro does original research, earning [this] volume a place on the quotation shelf next to Bartlett's and Oxford's.”—William Safire, New York Times Magazine (on the original edition)
“The most accurate, thorough, and up-to-date quotation book ever compiled.”—Bryan A. Garner, Los Angeles Review of Books
Updated to include more than a thousand new quotations, this reader-friendly volume contains over twelve thousand famous quotations, arranged alphabetically by author and sourced from literature, history, popular culture, sports, digital culture, science, politics, law, the social sciences, and all other aspects of human activity.
Contemporaries added to this edition include Beyoncé, Sandra Cisneros, James Comey, Drake, Louise Glück, LeBron James, Brett Kavanaugh, Lady Gaga, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Barack Obama, John Oliver, Nancy Pelosi, Vladimir Putin, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and David Foster Wallace. The volume also reflects path-breaking recent research resulting in the updating of quotations from the first edition with more accurate wording or attribution. It has also incorporated noncontemporary quotations that have become relevant to the present day. In addition, The New Yale Book of Quotations reveals the striking fact that women originated many familiar quotations, yet their roles have been forgotten and their verbal inventions have often been credited to prominent men instead.
This book’s quotations, annotations, extensive cross-references, and large keyword index will satisfy both the reader who seeks specific information and the curious browser who appreciates an amble through entertaining pages.
“Shapiro does original research, earning [this] volume a place on the quotation shelf next to Bartlett's and Oxford's.”—William Safire, New York Times Magazine (on the original edition)
“The most accurate, thorough, and up-to-date quotation book ever compiled.”—Bryan A. Garner, Los Angeles Review of Books
Updated to include more than a thousand new quotations, this reader-friendly volume contains over twelve thousand famous quotations, arranged alphabetically by author and sourced from literature, history, popular culture, sports, digital culture, science, politics, law, the social sciences, and all other aspects of human activity.
Contemporaries added to this edition include Beyoncé, Sandra Cisneros, James Comey, Drake, Louise Glück, LeBron James, Brett Kavanaugh, Lady Gaga, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Barack Obama, John Oliver, Nancy Pelosi, Vladimir Putin, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and David Foster Wallace. The volume also reflects path-breaking recent research resulting in the updating of quotations from the first edition with more accurate wording or attribution. It has also incorporated noncontemporary quotations that have become relevant to the present day. In addition, The New Yale Book of Quotations reveals the striking fact that women originated many familiar quotations, yet their roles have been forgotten and their verbal inventions have often been credited to prominent men instead.
This book’s quotations, annotations, extensive cross-references, and large keyword index will satisfy both the reader who seeks specific information and the curious browser who appreciates an amble through entertaining pages.
- GenresNonfiction
1168 pages, Hardcover
Published August 31, 2021
27 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 6, 2022
I loved this book so much that a physical copy was at the top of my holiday wishlist. It’s a quote aficionado’s dream. It may take me years to thoroughly read and appreciate all of the entries. Highly recommended!
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
June 16, 2021
Updated to include more than a thousand new quotations, this reader-friendly volume contains over twelve thousand famous quotations, arranged alphabetically by author and sourced from literature, history, popular culture, sports, digital culture, science, politics, law, the social sciences, and all other aspects of human activity.
Contemporaries added to this edition include Beyoncé, Sandra Cisneros, James Comey, Drake, Louise Glück, LeBron James, Brett Kavanaugh, Lady Gaga, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Barack Obama, John Oliver, Nancy Pelosi, Vladimir Putin, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and David Foster Wallace. The volume also reflects path-breaking recent research resulting in the updating of quotations from the first edition with more accurate wording or attribution. It has also incorporated noncontemporary quotations that have become relevant to the present day. In addition, The New Yale Book of Quotations reveals the striking fact that women originated many familiar quotations, yet their roles have been forgotten and their verbal inventions have often been credited to prominent men instead.
This book’s quotations, annotations, extensive cross-references, and large keyword index will satisfy both the reader who seeks specific information and the curious browser who appreciates an amble through entertaining pages.
Absolutely fascinating and a pleasure to dip in and out of.
Contemporaries added to this edition include Beyoncé, Sandra Cisneros, James Comey, Drake, Louise Glück, LeBron James, Brett Kavanaugh, Lady Gaga, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Barack Obama, John Oliver, Nancy Pelosi, Vladimir Putin, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and David Foster Wallace. The volume also reflects path-breaking recent research resulting in the updating of quotations from the first edition with more accurate wording or attribution. It has also incorporated noncontemporary quotations that have become relevant to the present day. In addition, The New Yale Book of Quotations reveals the striking fact that women originated many familiar quotations, yet their roles have been forgotten and their verbal inventions have often been credited to prominent men instead.
This book’s quotations, annotations, extensive cross-references, and large keyword index will satisfy both the reader who seeks specific information and the curious browser who appreciates an amble through entertaining pages.
Absolutely fascinating and a pleasure to dip in and out of.
September 10, 2021
I've always loved reading through books of quotes, I have a small collection of them I refer to once in awhile. When I was really into scrapbooking and journaling I used them more than I do now, but it's kind of comforting to have them on hand just in case.
The New Yale Book of Quotations would be a great addition to anyone's library, it's chock full of quotes by a wide variety of authors- it would be quite an undertaking to read through them all!
There's a lot of info to work through before you actually get to the quotes themselves, explaining how the book is arranged, the forward, the introduction, etc. I just kind of skipped through all that.
While the quotes are organized alphabetically by author, special sections are included in between- as you're reading through the A authors for example, and you get to the Ad- names, "Advertising Slogans" pops up, with a list of some of the more popular slogans of the time, such as "Got Milk?", "What's in your wallet?", "The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand.", etc.
I'm not sure I really liked that layout, for me I think it would work better of the Special Sections were all put together in the back.
There's also a Keyword Index which could be quite helpful, but it's actually a little confusing. It's interesting the way it's set up, with the keyword abbreviated to its first letter, once you get to that section. I don't know why they did it like that, unless it was to cut down on the word count.
Overall this would be a great resource to have on hand.
The New Yale Book of Quotations would be a great addition to anyone's library, it's chock full of quotes by a wide variety of authors- it would be quite an undertaking to read through them all!
There's a lot of info to work through before you actually get to the quotes themselves, explaining how the book is arranged, the forward, the introduction, etc. I just kind of skipped through all that.
While the quotes are organized alphabetically by author, special sections are included in between- as you're reading through the A authors for example, and you get to the Ad- names, "Advertising Slogans" pops up, with a list of some of the more popular slogans of the time, such as "Got Milk?", "What's in your wallet?", "The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand.", etc.
I'm not sure I really liked that layout, for me I think it would work better of the Special Sections were all put together in the back.
There's also a Keyword Index which could be quite helpful, but it's actually a little confusing. It's interesting the way it's set up, with the keyword abbreviated to its first letter, once you get to that section. I don't know why they did it like that, unless it was to cut down on the word count.
Overall this would be a great resource to have on hand.
July 6, 2021
I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely love books of quotations, and this one did not disappoint. It has been updated and revised to be more accurate than the previous edition, fixing attributions of quotes to the correct person.
There are thousands of interesting soundbites, and I thoroughly enjoyed flipping through (digitally, of course) and finding new gems. The quotes are arranged alphabetically by author (or singer, politician, etc.),
I think I would have enjoyed this more in physical format, so I'm looking forward to its publication.
I absolutely love books of quotations, and this one did not disappoint. It has been updated and revised to be more accurate than the previous edition, fixing attributions of quotes to the correct person.
There are thousands of interesting soundbites, and I thoroughly enjoyed flipping through (digitally, of course) and finding new gems. The quotes are arranged alphabetically by author (or singer, politician, etc.),
I think I would have enjoyed this more in physical format, so I'm looking forward to its publication.
October 16, 2021
I must admit I've not spent a lot of timing looking at books of quotations over the years and so have little to compare this book to. But I did enjoy this reference material quite a lot. It really is a listing of quotations of all sorts and from sources from many eras of history.
There are quite a few that have unknown or anonymous sources. Plus there are many quotes that have been misattributed over the years. In these cases, the book provides the correct source but also mentions the common error. It points out that many quotes by women have been attributed to men, often deliberately. It attempts to correct these "mistakes" as often as possible.
What was most delightful was reading quotes I've heard all my life but had no idea where they came from. It was truly enlightening on many occasions where I learned quite a bit about history to understand what was said.
The book is organised by author, some important information about the person, followed by the quotes attributed to them. It's definitely not comprehensive in the sense that it would be impossible to cover everything of note, but it does seem to stick to some set criteria to give the fairest coverage possible.
Very useful is an index of keywords for searching quotes. This is especially helpful for those previously mentioned misattributions.
Overall this was quite an enjoyable book and I give it four stars. I would like to thank Netgalley and Yale University Press for providing an advanced reader copy for free. This review is entirely voluntary.
There are quite a few that have unknown or anonymous sources. Plus there are many quotes that have been misattributed over the years. In these cases, the book provides the correct source but also mentions the common error. It points out that many quotes by women have been attributed to men, often deliberately. It attempts to correct these "mistakes" as often as possible.
What was most delightful was reading quotes I've heard all my life but had no idea where they came from. It was truly enlightening on many occasions where I learned quite a bit about history to understand what was said.
The book is organised by author, some important information about the person, followed by the quotes attributed to them. It's definitely not comprehensive in the sense that it would be impossible to cover everything of note, but it does seem to stick to some set criteria to give the fairest coverage possible.
Very useful is an index of keywords for searching quotes. This is especially helpful for those previously mentioned misattributions.
Overall this was quite an enjoyable book and I give it four stars. I would like to thank Netgalley and Yale University Press for providing an advanced reader copy for free. This review is entirely voluntary.
June 30, 2021
Often when a person has something to say, they want their words to be backed up. Other times, someone wants to randomly explore what others have said to see if the words resonates in some way. Sometimes a person needs to give a speech and wants their words to have a bit more weight. For these and many other reasons, people look to quotes. So, what could be more welcome than a book that is packed full of quotes? And even better, a book with the imprimatur of Yale University.
As noted above, this book is jammed with quotes. It is easy to just wander through taking time to think about what has been said on a subject. No matter who or what a reader is looking for, they will find inspiration here.
The book is organized by author. Each entry includes an identifying characteristic for the author and their dates of birth (and death, if needed). Happily there is also an index of keywords. In addition, there are a number of special sections; for example, there are ones on slogans and proverbs. Therefore, when words are needed they can be found.
The New Yale Book of Quotations is a title that should be available for school and home libraries. It is not inexpensive but the collected wisdom makes it worth the price.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.
As noted above, this book is jammed with quotes. It is easy to just wander through taking time to think about what has been said on a subject. No matter who or what a reader is looking for, they will find inspiration here.
The book is organized by author. Each entry includes an identifying characteristic for the author and their dates of birth (and death, if needed). Happily there is also an index of keywords. In addition, there are a number of special sections; for example, there are ones on slogans and proverbs. Therefore, when words are needed they can be found.
The New Yale Book of Quotations is a title that should be available for school and home libraries. It is not inexpensive but the collected wisdom makes it worth the price.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.
June 25, 2021
Easy to use/read, filled with trivia, as well as useful information. This is my kind of reference book! I could easily lose myself for hours poring over the contents.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Yale University Press for this eARC. This review is made without any monetary compensation whatsoever from the owners of this eARC.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Yale University Press for this eARC. This review is made without any monetary compensation whatsoever from the owners of this eARC.
July 14, 2021
Since the New Yale Book of Quotations is, well, a book filled with quotes, there is little to review. The collection has a nice range of old and new quotes and would make a great book on a reference shelf (reading it on a kindle wasn't the most appealing).
Thank you NetGalley and Yale UniversityPress for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.
Thank you NetGalley and Yale UniversityPress for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.
April 28, 2022
Stopped reading it because of the lousy layout of the e-book. Gave me a headache.
December 22, 2021
“Updated to include more than a thousand new quotations, this reader-friendly volume contains over twelve thousand quotations, arranged alphabetically by author and sourced from literature, history, popular culture, sports, digital culture, science, politics, law, the social sciences, and all other aspects of human activity.”
Quotations are a fundamental mechanism for the transmission of art and thought. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “By necessity, by proclivity, and by delight, we all quote”. The delight is our natural response to the monuments of creativity and wisdom kept alive by quotations, a communal bond uniting us with past culture and with other lovers of words and ideas in our own time. A dictionary of quotations supports the communal bond.
Women, it turns out, have often come up with memorable words and phrases standardly attached to men. Virginia Woolf, in ‘A Room of One’s Own’, wrote, “I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman”. She was referring to literary creation as a whole.
Fred R. Shapiro, the editor, has discovered that many of the great ‘quotesmiths’ have been women who are now forgotten or whose wit and wisdom are erroneously credited to more famous men.
The extensive quotation discoveries and improvements that have been made since 2006, when ‘The Yale Book of Quotations’ was published, are now presented in ‘The New Yale Book of Quotations’. At a time when the values of accuracy and truth are increasingly under siege, this volume presents documented true sources for the words of insight, wit, eloquence and history that are beloved or remembered by so many. Also unveiled here are the most notable quotations from the culture and politics of recent years, the products of a frenetic and turbulent era.
This is an excellent addition to add to any personal bookshelf or reference library.
A huge thank you to @NetGalley and @yalebooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Quotations are a fundamental mechanism for the transmission of art and thought. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “By necessity, by proclivity, and by delight, we all quote”. The delight is our natural response to the monuments of creativity and wisdom kept alive by quotations, a communal bond uniting us with past culture and with other lovers of words and ideas in our own time. A dictionary of quotations supports the communal bond.
Women, it turns out, have often come up with memorable words and phrases standardly attached to men. Virginia Woolf, in ‘A Room of One’s Own’, wrote, “I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman”. She was referring to literary creation as a whole.
Fred R. Shapiro, the editor, has discovered that many of the great ‘quotesmiths’ have been women who are now forgotten or whose wit and wisdom are erroneously credited to more famous men.
The extensive quotation discoveries and improvements that have been made since 2006, when ‘The Yale Book of Quotations’ was published, are now presented in ‘The New Yale Book of Quotations’. At a time when the values of accuracy and truth are increasingly under siege, this volume presents documented true sources for the words of insight, wit, eloquence and history that are beloved or remembered by so many. Also unveiled here are the most notable quotations from the culture and politics of recent years, the products of a frenetic and turbulent era.
This is an excellent addition to add to any personal bookshelf or reference library.
A huge thank you to @NetGalley and @yalebooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews