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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Coining the titular word to describe quotations that contain seemingly self-contradictory elements, psychologist and amateur wordsmith Grothe (Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You) gathers hundreds of examples—ancient, modern and everything in between—of such sayings. From Confucius’s "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s own ignorance" to Yogi Berra’s "Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded" to Adrienne Rich’s "Marriage is lonelier than solitude," these bon mots offer pithy insights and sometimes clever advice. Grothe’s 14 chapters group the quotations by theme; in "Sex, Love, and Romance," for example, Louise Colet advises readers to "Doubt the man who swears to his devotion," while in "Oxymoronic Insults (and a Few Compliments)," Henry James reflects that George Eliot is "magnificently ugly…. in this vast ugliness resides a most powerful beauty which, in a very few minutes, steals forth and charms the mind." Potentially useful to public speakers and certainly bound to amuse word mavens, Grothe’s collection is good clean fun—with a bit of an edge: the last section offers "Inadvertent Oxymoronica," in which George W. Bush is quoted as saying "One of the common denominators I have found is that expectations rise above that which is expected."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School–Grothe is an inveterate collector of words and phrases. He is especially fond of paradoxical sayings, "ideas stood on their heads." He has been gathering such seemingly contradictory quotations as Carrie Fisher's "Instant gratification takes too long" or Yogi Berra's pithy "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded" for years. For him, these sayings are like oxymorons but with more depth. Thus, he coined the term, "Oxymoronica, n.; A compilation of self-contradictory terms, phrases, or quotations; examples of oxymoronica appear illogical or nonsensical at first, but upon reflection, make a good deal of sense and are often profoundly true." This book is an assemblage of his collection divided into 14 chapters ranging widely in subject and author from wit and wisdom through love and sex to insults, written by Ovid through Oscar Wilde to George W. Bush, with many thought-provoking stops in between. The collection can be dipped into frequently and offers much to think about upon first, second, or third readings. It will be useful for public speakers, debate classes, English assignments, and essays. There is an index of authors and broad topics, though finding a specific quote might prove challenging. There's even a Web site to submit new ideas or to join a discussion with like-minded devotees. The whole collection might be summed up by Berra, "I didn't say everything I said." Lots of fun and much to ponder.–Susan H. Woodcock, Fairfax County Public Library, Chantilly, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
See all Editorial Reviews
Coining the titular word to describe quotations that contain seemingly self-contradictory elements, psychologist and amateur wordsmith Grothe (Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You) gathers hundreds of examples—ancient, modern and everything in between—of such sayings. From Confucius’s "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s own ignorance" to Yogi Berra’s "Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded" to Adrienne Rich’s "Marriage is lonelier than solitude," these bon mots offer pithy insights and sometimes clever advice. Grothe’s 14 chapters group the quotations by theme; in "Sex, Love, and Romance," for example, Louise Colet advises readers to "Doubt the man who swears to his devotion," while in "Oxymoronic Insults (and a Few Compliments)," Henry James reflects that George Eliot is "magnificently ugly…. in this vast ugliness resides a most powerful beauty which, in a very few minutes, steals forth and charms the mind." Potentially useful to public speakers and certainly bound to amuse word mavens, Grothe’s collection is good clean fun—with a bit of an edge: the last section offers "Inadvertent Oxymoronica," in which George W. Bush is quoted as saying "One of the common denominators I have found is that expectations rise above that which is expected."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School–Grothe is an inveterate collector of words and phrases. He is especially fond of paradoxical sayings, "ideas stood on their heads." He has been gathering such seemingly contradictory quotations as Carrie Fisher's "Instant gratification takes too long" or Yogi Berra's pithy "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded" for years. For him, these sayings are like oxymorons but with more depth. Thus, he coined the term, "Oxymoronica, n.; A compilation of self-contradictory terms, phrases, or quotations; examples of oxymoronica appear illogical or nonsensical at first, but upon reflection, make a good deal of sense and are often profoundly true." This book is an assemblage of his collection divided into 14 chapters ranging widely in subject and author from wit and wisdom through love and sex to insults, written by Ovid through Oscar Wilde to George W. Bush, with many thought-provoking stops in between. The collection can be dipped into frequently and offers much to think about upon first, second, or third readings. It will be useful for public speakers, debate classes, English assignments, and essays. There is an index of authors and broad topics, though finding a specific quote might prove challenging. There's even a Web site to submit new ideas or to join a discussion with like-minded devotees. The whole collection might be summed up by Berra, "I didn't say everything I said." Lots of fun and much to ponder.–Susan H. Woodcock, Fairfax County Public Library, Chantilly, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
See all Editorial Reviews
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