Some quotations re-state common sense, many have worked their way into everyday speech, and still others offer a surprising or enigmatic perspective on a topic. Conflicting perspectives from multiple sources on the same topic are common, and can shed interesting light on the subject. On the topic of absence, for example, the well-known "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" (Thomas Haynes Bayly) is countered by Cervantes' opposite take, "Absence, that common cure of love" (Don Quixote). A more nuanced perspective comes from Roger de Bussy-Rabutin who oberves, "Absence is to love what wind is to a fire; it puts out the little, it kindles the great."

In some cases, the editor notes the actual, earlier origins of a quotation that may be popularly attributed to a more recent speaker or writer. For example, Adlai Stevenson (1952 U.S. presidential nominee) is quoted as saying, "Let's talk sense to the American people. Let's tell them the truth, that there are no gains without pains." An editor's note observes, "The expression 'No pains, no gains' appeared as early as 1670, in John Ray's English Proverbs."

Libronix DLS Edition

The key benefit of the Libronix DLS edition of this work is full-text indexing. The print edition is arranged by subject with an alphabetical author index. That is, it's relatively easy to find quotes from a given person or on a given topic. What can't be easily done with the print edition is to locate a quotation when you only remember a phrase or keyword and are unsure of source or topic.

The Libronix DLS edition will enable you to instantly search for a word or phrase and find what you're looking for. This makes it easy to give correct attribution rather than "as someone once said." The search capability makes it easy to pull a complete, accurate quotation with proper attribution.

Print Edition Back Cover

"The eloquent and entertaining musings of some of the greatest minds of yesterday and today are presented in this lively collection. The familiar utterances and often-cited observations of historical figures such as William Shakespeare and Mark Twain are complementd by the reflections of such modern writers as James Baldwin and Erica Jong.

"...It is a journey into the provocative thoughts of many of society's most noted individuals."