We Are What We Think by James Geary
What sets wise words apart from the cliches and soundbites we encounter every day? When a saying has the power to reach out and change your life, it is no longer a platitude or a proverb but an aphorism. Self-confessed aphorism addict James Geary takes a whimsical, humorous tour through the history of this remarkable subject and its extraordinary practitioners. With a scope that reaches from the ancient Eastern prophets to American one-liners, from the Greek and Roman Stoics to the great German philosophers, the book's focus is life, the universe and everything.
'[Geary] has delicately plucked only the statement that exemplify each biographical leg of his journeyThe result is effective and it is impossible not to be swept along with his enthusiasm' -- TLS 'Pleasant, personal, thoughtful ... wonderful ... delightful' -- Booklist 'This is a real treasure house. I intend to raid it relentlessly' -- John Humphrys 'The definitive work on aphorisms, a love letter--cum--memoir disguised as a reference book ... fellow fanatics will be delighted' -- Publishers Weekly 'An entertaining love letter to the compact formJames Gearycalls 'literature's hand luggage' -- New York Times 'A delight ... offers extraordinary phrases that any lover of the prickly thought and the graceful sentence can savor' -- New York Sun 'Geary serves up old favorites: Montaigne, La Rochefoucauld, Benjamin Franklin, Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce. But he has also rustled up phrase-makers who are undeservedly forgotten' -- Washington Post 'A thought-provoking tour through the world's wisest words from prophets, thinkers and poets.' -- Good Book Guide 20061001 '[Geary] wears his obvious learning very lightly, and provides entertaining and informative commentary on figures ranging from Confucius to Dr Seuss' -- What's on in London 20061001 'Might become a Christmas bestseller - another Eats, Shoots and Leaves perhaps?' -- Bookseller 20061001 'An enjoyable commentary on some of the world's most memorable aphorisms' -- Bookseller 20050805 'A headlong gallop through the world of philososphy' -- Bookseller 20050812 '[Geary] has delicately plucked only the statement that exemplify each biographical leg of his journey. The result is effective and it is impossible not to be swept along with his enthusiasm' -- TLS: Isobel Shirwal 20060703 'A treasure trove of the wisest and wittiest sayings in the world!.[Geary's] enthusiasm shines through this delightful little book' -- Sunday Express 20060703
James Geary is the acting editor of Time Magazine in Europe and the author of The Body Electric: An Anatomy of the New Bionic Senses. He lives in London with his wife and three children. In addition to reading aphorisms, he likes to juggle.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780719561351 |
| ISBN 10 | 0719561353 |
| Title | We Are What We Think |
| Author | James Geary |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | John Murray Press |
| Year published | 2006-06-29 |
| Number of pages | 256 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |