A clever, broad collection of short, definitive remarks about life, love, and social phenomena.
A collection of short sayings on a variety of topics, from intelligence and politics to wealth and happiness.
Aphorisms may be a lost art to many people, but Hutchison sees them as a form of twisted insight, marked by surprise, brevity, and philosophical depth. He begins his book with a short history of the aphoristic tradition, and insists that many popular sayings and quotes have been misattributed after passing through the decades from one thinker to the next. He then presents his own collection of brief, crystalized points and questions on a range of subjects. While some are humorous (“Where there’s a will, there’s a lawyer looking for a way”), others hinge on more serious cynicism (“When politicians talk about the ‘greater good,’ they mean good for everybody but you”). Readers who love clever sayings will enjoy the variety in this book, which includes sharp, critical views and universal wisdom. For example, one passage remarks that “[i]t’s never too late to admit you’re wrong, and always too early to insist you’re right.” Moments such as these will give readers a sense of shared dignity and humility, as they implicate not just one type of actor (lawyers or politicians) or one social construct (marriage or politics) but the human race as a whole. It’s in this way that Hutchison captures poignant thoughts that will stick with readers and offer launching points for deeper reflection—a feature of the aphorism that’s most difficult for writers to capture. Although the author does touch on marriage and dating, he does so in a somewhat sharpened, dissecting way, and he often steers away from deeply exploring romantic love. However, readers who enjoy passing along quotes to friends and family will find this collection to be fruitful for conversation and debate.
A clever, broad collection of short, definitive remarks about life, love, and social phenomena.Pub Date: April 22, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-887043-90-8
Page Count: 166
Publisher: White River Press
Review Posted Online: April 23, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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