Review: Right Up My Street
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 6, 2014
I've been fascinated by quotes and proverbs for years, and I've collected more quote collections and scribbled more sayings from literature, magazines, and public speeches than I care to count. Therefore, when I stumbled across the title of Phillips book, and then saw the extremely reasonable price, I couldn't resist. There is something about short sayings that manage to capture much larger concepts and enlighten us with just a few simple words. Most people take far too long to explain a complicated concept; there is no challenge in that. However, to explain the crux of an issue in an abbreviated, bite-sized, and memorable way....well, that is far more skillful. Phillips has collected some of the finest and most profound examples of epigrams from his impressive writing history, which happens to include writing about some of the masters of the "turn of phrase", including Hemingway and Fitzgerald, two of my favorite authors. Perhaps that is also why I enjoyed the book so much, occasionally stumbling over a quote or a saying that I had read or heard long ago, but had since forgotten. "Epigrams" will be a prominent new addition to my quote library, and will be returned to eagerly and often. The well-organized and topical breakdown of the quotes is also somewhat unique, and makes for an ideal reading choice no matter what mood you're in or on which topic of life you're seeking wisdom. A great collection.