Cassell's Proverbs - Hardcover

Pickering, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0304357383 ISBN 13: 9780304357383

Publisher: W&N, 2001

Synopsis

Proverbs offer a unique record of human wisdom and culture and their value and fascination stretch far beyond the familiar cliches like 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth'. Comprising over 5000 entries, Cassell's Dictionary of Proverbs covers every part of the world and all periods of history. In each case the article pinpoints precisely what the proverb means, where it originated, when it was first used, and its subsequent history. This definitive collection provides an essential reference tool for casual browsers, writers searching for the right pithy epigram and anyone who is interested in popular wisdom.

About this title

Review:

Proverbs were the seasoning in our grandparents' conversation. Sadly today a lot of people are no longer familiar with those memorable, traditional sayings and saws, which were often also pithy and allegorical. Enter David Pickering's Cassell's Dictionary of Proverbs which lists hundreds of them from "he that goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing" to 'zeal without knowledge is the sister of folly". And he tells you their provenance and--although, of course, it's usually self evident--the meaning, as well as providing relevant literary quotes where the proverbs have been used, by Shakespeare for example.

Pickering has sidestepped the usual thematic/alphabetical tension which troubles most proverb dictionaries. He lists them alphabetically using a comfortable accessible system of cross-referencing under head words. So if you look up "miss" you are referred to "slice" for "a slice of a cut loaf isn't missed" and "never" for "You never miss the water till the well is dry." There is also a detailed thematic index at the back, listing proverbs under topics such as logic, manners and trees.

Although Pickering claims that these proverbs come from many cultures and many historical periods they are predominantly English, Roman and Greek, although there are some nice examples from the US such as "Wishes won't wash dishes" which originated in the 17th century and "If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a duck" coined in the 1950s.

Many proverbs are splendidly colourful and often alliterative. Gems such as "God sends nuts to those who have no teeth" "a nimble ninepence is worth more than a slow shilling" and "he who would not be riled by the rudder must be riled by the rock" make this a delightful, friendly book to browse in. --Susan Elkin

About the Author:

David Pickering is an experienced reference writer, researcher and editor, specialising in compiling arts and general reference books. His publications for Cassell include, Cassell Dictionary of Witchcraft, and, most recently, Cassell's Sport Quotations.

About this edition

• Publisher: W&N
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0304357383
• ISBN 13: 9780304357383
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 468