Oxymoronica: Paradoxical Wit and Wisdom from History's Greatest Wordsmiths - Softcover

Grothe PH.D., Dr Mardy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0060537000 ISBN 13: 9780060537005

Publisher: Harper Paperbacks, 2015

Synopsis

A must-have for language lovers, this compendium contains hundreds of mind-stretching observations that are contradictory or illogical on one level, yet true, witty, and often profound on another.

ox-y-mor-on-i-ca (OK-se-mor-ON-uh-ca) noun Any variety of tantalizing, self-contradictory statements or observations that on the surface appear false or illogical, but at a deeper level are profoundly true.

For example:

"Melancholy is the pleasure of being sad."
--Victor Hugo

"To lead the people, walk behind them."
--Lao-tzu

"You'd be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap."
--Dolly Parton

For over a decade Dr. Mardy Grothe has delighted readers with this collection of 1,400 of the most provocative quotations of all time. From ancient thinkers like Confucius, Aristotle and Saint Augustine, to great writers like Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and G. B. Shaw, to modern social observers like Woody Allen and Lily Tomlin, Oxymoronica celebrates the power and beauty of paradoxical thinking. All areas of human activity are explored, including love, sex, romance, politics, the arts, marriage and family, and, of course, the literary life. Sure to grab the attention of language lovers everywhere, the wise and witty observations in this book are as entertaining as they are intellectually nourishing.

About this title

Product Description:

[ Oxymoronica: Paradoxical Wit and Wisdom from History's Greatest Wordsmiths By ( Author ) Jun-2015 Paperback

Review:

As addictive as a bowl of peanuts-- you can t stop after just one paradox from Oxymoronica! --A. Ross Eckler, author of Making the Alphabet Dance

Promises to engage you for long moments -- or short hours -- in its paradoxical simplicity.--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Truly the most comprehensible collection of contradictions around."--Erin McKean, Editor of Verbatim: The Language Quarterly

"As addictive as a bowl of peanuts-- you can't stop after just one paradox from Oxymoronica!"--A. Ross Eckler, author of Making the Alphabet Dance

"As addictive as a bowl of peanuts--you can't stop after just one paradox from Oxymoronica!"--A. Ross Eckler, author of Making the Alphabet Dance

As addictive as a bowl of peanuts--you can t stop after just one paradox from Oxymoronica! --A. Ross Eckler, author of Making the Alphabet Dance"

Truly the most comprehensible collection of contradictions around. --Erin McKean, Editor of Verbatim: The Language Quarterly"

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0060537000
• ISBN 13: 9780060537005
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272