The Cassell Dictionary of Regrettable Quotations

Any writer should appreciate the value of adding authentic quotations to their work because it lends so much credibility to that author. Whilst the subject matter should always be relevant to what is being written (such as a quote from Shakespeare's "The Tempest" added to a work about storms), humour and irony are always the best possible choices. Having brought a suitable silly, outrageous, stupid, funny or simply memorable quotation to mind, however, the problem is often in trying to remember who said it. This is where you then become the equivalent of a crossword bore as you pass through all your friends and family asking; "Who was it who once said.....?" This book contains all those ridiculous quotes - and more, and they really are so very useable. Somebody actually said; "Nuclear powered vacuum cleaners will probably be a reality within ten years" (in 1955!), "I give Castro a year, no longer" (1959), "You ought to go back to drivin' a truck" (Jim Denny to Elvis Presley in 1954), "The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey" (cricket match radio commentary in 1974. The bowler was Michael Holding and the batsman Peter Willey!) and, of course, that perennial favourite "Jimmy Who?," (Published in 1974 as a derogatory comment about the prospects of Jimmy Carter becoming President of the USA). It was Carter's equally memorable response to that headline which got him elected. Altogether this book is useful on several fronts - not only for writers, as it serves to remind us all of the foibles of those who make public pronouncements and commit words to paper. Even great leaders (as well as those who were not so great!) are prone to regrettable quotations and, if they said it, you will find it here. Whoever said "To err is human," this might so easily have been his life's work... NM

"The Cassell Dictionary of Regrettable Quotations" is one of the most enjoyable books I've seen in many months. I almost thought originality had vanished. Throughout its pages, every quotation has relevance in history, arts, music, world events--you name it. Some of them are absolutely hilarious, as well as unbelievable. One famous radio personality in 1936 is quoted as having said, "Television won't matter in your lifetime or mine." Also, regarding the Beatles, one record executive in 1964 said, "We don't think they'll do anything in this market." After Elvis' first public performance at the Grand Ol Opry in 1954, one producer told him, "Listen, son, you ain't goin' nowhere. You'd better go back to drivin' a truck." Ha! What shortsightedness! What lack of vision!That's just the beginning. Emperor Joseph II said of Mozart, "Far too noisy, my dear Mozart. Far too many notes." In 1955, one vacuum cleaner manufacturer claimed, "Nuclear-powered vacuum cleaners will probably be a reality within 10 years." (!!!) From artists to nuclear power to space travel, there are also many quotations from our favorite targets, politicians, best among the terrible gems of bad English coming from Dan Quale--over two pages! "If you give a person a fish, they'll fish for a day." What?! Especially amusing, and quite a treat, are total misstatements about the end of the world, and sometimes what those people said after their predictions didn't happen. "I think the world is going to blow up in seven years, and I think during that seven years they're entitled to have a good time," a famous magazine publisher said in 1960. There are also regrettable quotations about famous authors, newspaper goofs and the dangerous, but nevertheless entertaining, verbal blunders made which are neatly categorized as race relations, women and men. I particularly liked what the "experts" said about flying and airplanes, "not having one molecule of faith other than in ballooning": Lord Kelvin, 1896. "Aerial flight is one of that class of problems with which man will never have to cope": Simon Newcomb, 1903. No one is spared the embarrassment and humiliation that came from their own mouths! Not only is the book fun to read, it also provides as a general refresher of education.This is really good reading, as I found it difficult to put the book down--one quality that is becoming more rare these days, in the age of copycats. You get your money's worth with David Milsted's book. Buy it today!