The Yale Book of Quotations
This reader-friendly volume contains more than 12,000 famous quotations, arranged alphabetically by author. It is unique in its focus on American quotations and its inclusion of items not only from literary and historical sources but also from popular culture, sports, computers, science, politics, law, and the social sciences. Anonymously authored items appear in sections devoted to folk songs, advertising slogans, television catchphrases, proverbs, and others.
For each quotation, a source and first date of use is cited. In many cases, new research for this book has uncovered an earlier date or a different author than had previously been understood. (It was Beatrice Kaufman, not Sophie Tucker, who exclaimed, ?I?ve been poor and I?ve been rich. Rich is better!? William Tecumseh Sherman wasn?t the originator of ?War is hell!? It was Napoleon.) Numerous entries are enhanced with annotations to clarify meaning or context for the reader. These interesting annotations, along with extensive cross-references that identify related quotations and a large keyword index, will satisfy both the reader who seeks specific information and the curious browser who appreciates an amble through entertaining pages.
The Yale Book of Quotations Accessories
 Atlas of the World: 15th Edition with free wall map
The Quote Verifier: Who Said What, Where, and When
The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2008 (World Almanac and Book of Facts)
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2009
The Merck Manual of Medical Information: 2nd Home Edition (Merck Manual of Medical Information Home Edition)
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature (17th Edition)
Oxford Dictionary of Humorous Quotations: 7-3/4 x 5-1/8
The Merck Manual of Medical Information, Second Edition: The World's Most Widely Used Medical Reference - Now In Everyday Language
Funny You Should Say That: Amusing Remarks From Cicero to the Simpsons
The Yale Book of Quotations Reviews
Great idea. Helpful and fun. we purchased the Yale Book.
A great choice. Yale Bk of Quotations was a suggestion from the Wall Street Journal of essential resource books to have in a home library. More current, more "pop" language, more American English oriented.
Just to sit and skim the contents is a pleasure and diversion. Enjoy. Since we already have Bartlett's (doesn't everyone).
I was looking for several noteable quotes from several noteable people, none of whom were cited. No new quotes that were interesting to me.
This is a wonderful collection, reflects a wide and discerning sensibility. Especially good are "film lines."
Not as useful, not as interesting. I was pretty disappointed with the book once I got it. I find the book to be only 1/2 as useful as I had hoped (deciding between 2 and 3 stars was tough). So don't make the mistake I did, and find out what this book offers before you make the purchase. Its not a bad book, just not what I expected. When I think of the hours spent by researchers and collaborators to find an original source, my mouse creeps toward the middle star.
When I think about the full page dedicated to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards quotes, which are, in fact, all excerpts from original sources that are available today (you guessed it, Rolling Stones albums), my pointer jumps sharply to the left. The Yale Book of Quotations seems to have missed the point. The emphasis seems to be on determining the exact wording and true original source of the quote: Very important details indeed, but accurate boring quotes are still boring quotes. It is my strong belief that any person, in any profession, can benefit from a well placed quote or two. I purchased this book because good quotes are often overused and poorly sourced, and a good source of strong quotations can be invaluable. Often we want to motivate, prove a point, or illustrate an idea with the use of quotations, and this utility of quotes should have been the primary focus.
Nevertheless, that shouldn't prevent you from deriving immense pleasure from just reading the book from page 1 to 851. I keep it next to me on my desk, and, in a free moment, I would rather graze through it than surf the Internet. Still, what I like most about this book is the sheer entertainment value. It includes famous lines in films, advertising and music culture.
To do so, one can go off of one's memory, but, as Joseph Epstein points out in his witty introduction, one will miss the mark: the quote and the attribution will most likely be wrong. I have never owned a "quotations book," and I never had the desire to own one.
But, getting ready to deliver a new speech, I now have the desire to pepper it with entertaining quotations, to illustrate my points. The chances that your quotation will hit the mark with your audience are greater with this book.
The purpose of the book is to provide the most famous quote and nail down the attribution.
The quotes are obviously weighted towards American authors and pop culture icons of the last 50 years.
So much for illustrating one's point. One note of caution: you shouldn't read this book looking for an author's most literate quote.
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