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Bartlett's Familiar Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature (17th Edition)
Product Description This 17th edition, under Kaplan's splendid direction, contains over 20,000 quotations, representing 2,500 authors, 90 of whom are new to BARTLETT'S. Newcomers include Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Tony Kushner, Tammy Wynette, Margaret Atwood, Mary Oliver, Maya Angelou, Frank O'Hara, Martin Amis, Kingsley Amis, Mother Teresa, Jacques Cousteau, Rudolph Giuliani, Alfred Hitchcock, L. M. Montgomery, Eric Ambler, Jerry Seinfeld, J. K. Rowling, Katharine Graham, and Emma Goldman. With quotations presented in chronological order, in the famous BARTLETT'S tradition, BARTLETT'S gives the reader a vast panorama of the world, from the ancient Egyptians to the latest movie, from the inspirational and the beautiful to the sardonic and the downright funny.
Wish It Contained More Entries July 6, 2008 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've used a hard-copy of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations for years as a reference. I was disappointed that this current edition for the Kindle does not have all the content of the book.
Abraham Lincoln, for example, is missing. Sir Winston Spencer Churchill... missing. Grover Cleveland, Christopher Columbus, Confucius; all missing. I would be a much happier Customer if this were a full-reference version.
A must for writers and speakers June 6, 2008 If you rely on the written or spoken word to sway the opinion of others, this is a must have for your reference resources.
While there are a number of online resources, they do not compare to having a hard copy on your desk. There are a number of problems with many of the online quote sources. The attribution is often questionable. Bartlett's is the authority on attribution.
The collection is in chronological order, alphabetical by author. There is an extensive index by subject matter. You should be able to find just the quote you are searching for in a matter of minutes.
I have found this to be an invaluabe resource.
I have also discovered many authors and philisophers that I wanted to learn more about from simply browsing through this collection.
There is nothing like the appropriate quotationn to give credibility to your speaking or writing. If you are serious about your work, you really should add this to your collection of resources.
The definitive source for quotations November 12, 2007 Bartlett's is where I go if I want to see exactly who said what, when, and in precisely what context. John Bartlett started his work about 150 years ago with approximately 250 people, and now in its current version, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations has more than 25,000 quotes from 2,500 people. The chronological layout also makes this very appealing and accessible, and moreso a book one can easily sit down with on a rainy day to peruse.
One thing I take issue with is the fact that several quotes from notable people I have picked up from reading elsewhere (perhaps even earlier versions of Bartlett's!) are not listed in the current book, among them:
"We were given two ears and one mouth that we may hear the more and speak the less." -Zeno
"We are what we repeatedly do; excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." -Aristotle
"I have nothing, yet have everything; and although I possess nothing, still of nothing am I in want." - Menander
The quotes above are not listed, while others are, such as "show me the money" from the movie Jerry Maguire in 1996! Somehow I think the former quotes will hold the test of time while that inane quote from the Hollywood movie will probably not even make it into the Bartlett's version two iterations down the line.
In my opinion, the only thing lacking is a proper gravitas; not enough emphasis is given to timeless figures such as Aristotle or Zeno in favor of contemporary quotes which in truth, possess very little meaning or truth, or in some cases, none at all.
That being given as a proviso, this is still the de facto source for quotations.
**** 1/2 Stars.
Priceless for students, great for researchers and excellent for literature lovers. July 26, 2007 2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This review is for the book, not the CD ROM or any other Bartlett's related electronic media. If you consider yourself well read, it will not take you long to find out where "Bartlett's Familiar Quotations" fails and be somewhat disappointed. If you don't read a lot, and need the book for school or reference, it will probably be adequate. Certainly no book of quotations can be exhaustive and Bartlett's never claims to be, their are; however, some vital literary idioms that are noticeably missing. Having covered the book's shortcomings, I cannot point out that as a resource and reference this book can be not only helpful, but indispensable for college students. "Bartlett's Familiar Quotations" is like the King of the Cliff's Notes research, and just like Cliff's Notes, His Majesty should never be used to replace the material it summarizes. A basic understanding of the context of the book's quotations is far more valuable then the quotes themselves. REVIEW EVERY BOOK YOU READ! OR AT LEAST REFERENCE REGULARLY.
BARTLETTS QUOTES January 12, 2007 1 out of 2 found this review helpful
A really cool book that no one thinks of reading. Most of the phrase used in today's world can be located here, and their origins reviewed.
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