Both an expert and a collector, James Geary has devoted his
life to aphorisms—and the last few years to organizing,
indexing, and even translating them. The result is Geary’s
Guide, featuring classic writers like Voltaire, Twain,
Shakespeare, and Nietzsche, but also more surprising
figures, such as Woody Allen, Muhammad Ali, Emily Dickinson,
and Mae West. Some of the aphorists appear in English for
the first time. But it is more than just a conventional
anthology. It is also an encyclopedia, containing brief
biographies of each author in addition to a selection of his
or her aphorisms. The book is a field guide, too, with
aphorists organized into eight different “species,” such as
Comics, Critics & Satirists; Icons & Iconoclasts; and
Painters & Poets. The book’s two indexes—by author and by
subject—make it easily searchable, while its unique
organizational structure and Geary’s lively biographical
entries make it different from all previous reference works.
Geary’s Guide is eminently suitable for browsing or for
sustained reading. A comprehensive guide to our most
intimate, idiosyncratic literary form, the book is an
indispensable tool for writers and public speakers as well
as essential reading for all language lovers.
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