The Women's Book of Positive Quotations

"As a writer, I like to use quotations to illustrate themes or principles, such as the value of self-confidence or the importance of hard work. Unfortunately, in traditional compilations, finding just the right phrase to illustrate such themes can be very difficult." ~Leslie Ann Gibson As a casual quote collector, I take an interest in any and all books of quotations. I found over 22 quotes I wanted to collect. Leslie has organized the quotes in a rather comprehensive manner. These quotes are written by, for, or about women. If you are reading through this book, you will find some repeated quotes under a variety of headings. This becomes useful if you are adding quotes to your writing or to lecture notes. I only noticed because I read quote books from cover to cover in one sitting. This book is divided into three main sections: Finding Fulfillment Developing Positive Habits Achieving Your Goals You will then find quotes organized into themed sections which are again organized into groups. Yes, this is a very organized book. The content pages are helpful for finding just the quote you are looking for and the Index is helpful for looking up quotes by your favorite authors, philosophers, artists, leaders, actors and other famous personalities. I enjoyed finding quotes by Katharine Hepburn, Rose Franken, Elizabeth Bowen, Julia Child, Ingrid Bergman, Agnes Repplier, Lucy Stone and Eleanor Roosevelt. "You must do the thing you cannot do." ~Eleanor Roosevelt I also loved the quote by Louise Driscall: "Within your heart, keep one still, secret spot where dreams may go." Under "Finding Fulfillment" you will find quotes for welcoming joy into your life or discovering your strengths. Under "Discovering your Strengths" you will find quotes about doing what you love, believing in yourself and finding things to be proud of. "The Woman's Book of Positive Quotations" is a handy reference book for writers, speakers and those of us who love collecting quotes. ~The Rebecca Review

Compiled and arranged by Leslie Ann Gibson, The Woman's Book Of Positive Quotations is a collection of 7,341 spiritual, inspirational, upbeat and meaningful quotes by a wide variety of respected women, ranging from Teresa of Avila, to Virginia Woolf, Doris Day, Margaret Thatcher, Susan B. Anthony, and many more. Organized under 62 general subjects and 703 subconcepts, The Woman's Book Of Positive Quotations is indexed by author for easy reference. An uplifting joy to simply page through at random, and a veritable treasure trove of imminently practical advice ("The attributes of a great lady may still be found in the rule of the four S's: Sincerity, Simplicity, Sympathy, and Serenity.") The Woman's Book Of Positive Quotations" is whole heartedly recommended for self-help, self-improvement reading lists, as well as Women's Studies supplemental reference collections.

As the author of a self-help/relationship book, I'm always looking out for new resources to improve my writing or develop ideas. My first book used "The New Beacon Book of Quotations For Women" as a primary resource and my next book will use this book extensively.As a man I find that women writers tend to be more colorful, personal, and subtle in their choice of words. That is why I prefer this type of book over a giant glossary of quotations.The best part of this book is the way the quotations are assembled around motivational-personal development themes. The choice of these themes shows a lot of enlightened thought and understanding by the editor, Leslie Ann Gibson. I've never seen such a high-quality collection of quotations around such well-chosen themes.The only thing that I miss is a more thorough biographical index. It's hard for me to write or speak about what someone says unless the audience (and myself) knows who it is. So unfortunately, I have to spend a lot of additional time researching.But all things considered this is a truly fine book that all serious writers and speakers should have in their personal libraries.

Unlike the previous reviewer, I liked how some quotes appeared under different headings, making it easier to reference to drop into emails, cards, etc. A great compilation of affirming, positive quotes, and a nice gift for Mom.

This book features wonderful quotes, many by well-known, contemporary sources. I would have given it a 5-star rating, except that some of the quotes are repeated several times throughout the book under different subject headings. Nonetheless, there still are an impressive number of unique quotes here--not just the usual selection, but some true rarities.