Home > Media > Books > John Bartlett - Bartlett's Familiar Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature
John Bartlett - Bartlett's Familiar Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature
meanbeast's Full Review: John Bartlett - Bartlett's Familiar Quotations: A ...
"He rang'd his tropes, and preach'd up patience;
Back'd his opinion with quotations."
-Matthew Prior
I love quotes. I have my little quote book that's filled, and reading through it provides me with inspiration and comfort. I believe that there's a quote for almost any situation, and I love to toss them out whenever I can. That's why I love Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.
"The history of an art is the history of masterwork, not of failures, or mediocrity."
-Ezra Pound
Originally published as a small booklet by John Bartlett in 1855, Bartlett's has grown to its sixteenth edition, filled with over 20,000 quotations by 2,550. It is edited by the Pulitzer-Prize winning biographer Justin Kaplan. The most quoted sources are the Bible and Shakespeare, but Bartlett's now includes modern day quotes such as "Beam me up, Scotty."
"Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime.
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints in the sands of time."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Bartlett's is organized by chronological order of authors' birthdates. Authors in the same year are listed alphabetically. There is an alphabetical index of authors in the beginning, to help you locate quotes by a particular author you like. Pseudonyms are also listed and cross-indexed.
"Art and science cannot exist but in minutely organized particulars"
-William Blake
The real strength of Bartlett's is its fabulous keyword index. It is possible to find any quote for any situation. This is extremely helpful when you're writing a paper and want to throw in a quote for extra effect. The index also includes old and variant spellings, acronyms, and made-up words.
"A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things."
-Ecclesiastes 10:19
The only real con of Bartlett's is it's price, a hefty $45. However, Amazon.com carries a copy for a 'mere' $33, so if you look around, you can probably get it somewhat cheap.
"One must be a wise reader to quote wisely and well."
-Amos Bronson Alcott
All in all, besides the expensive price, I recommend Bartlett's to anyone that likes quotes at all, or will be doing a good deal of writing. Quotes are always a helpful tool to have.
It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations. Bartlett's Familiar Quotations is an admirable work, and I studied it intently. The quotations when engraved upon the memory give you good thoughts. They also make you anxious to read the authors and look for more."
-Sir Winston Spencer Churchill
Quotations Reference - First published in 1855, this edition has been completely updated and revised with quotations from the ancient Egyptians to the...More at Barnes and Noble
First published in 1855, Bartlett s Familiar Quotations has been completelyupdated and revised for the 17th edition by Pulitzer Prize-winning biograph...More at Buy.com
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