A book of quotations can be a helpful tool for your writing.
A book of quotations is usually a small collection of quotations, sometimes on different themes, sometimes on the same theme. A quotation may be a fragment from a written literary work or a famous statement. A book of quotations usually cites the source of the quotation.
The quotations are usually used with the purpose of illustrating an idea or supporting an argument. In marketing, quotations may be used to offer a positive or negative perspective about a work or idea. Also, sometimes quotations are used to inspire or to produce a positive influence on the reader or listener.
Some of the most well-known books of quotations are: Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, The Columbia Dictionary of Quotations, The Yale Book of Quotations, and The Macmillan Book of Proverbs, Maxims and Famous Phrases, where you can find the most complete collections. We will briefly review three of these renowned books of quotations.
Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations is an American publication that was first issued in 1855 and has now reached its 17th edition (2003). What is remarkable about this publication is that the book lists the quotations by author rather than genre or theme and authors are organized by the date of birth rather than alphabetically. For a given period in history, the book lists authors alphabetically, and quotations are arranged chronologically in the lifetime of the author. However, the book also offers a keyword index and the source for each quotation.
The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations has reached its 7th edition (2009). This publication uses another system: cross-references. If you are looking for a certain quotation, then you will find further details about that quotation — such as if the quotation was said before, by another person.
The Yale Book of Quotations was first published in 2006 and presents more than 12000 quotations in 1067 pages. It is arranged alphabetically by author and by type. Each quotation is presented with the source, and in some cases references to other quotations are provided. There is also a keyword index, which helps the reader identify relevant quotations.
As in the previously mentioned publications, The Yale Book of Quotations includes quotations that do not derive from a literary source. These include quotations from politicians, judges, journalists, sportscasters, athletes, screenwriters, songwriters, and anonymous sources. There is also a special section for quotations from advertising slogans, films lines, folk and anonymous songs, political slogans, proverbs, and television catchphrases.
These are some of the best books of quotations available on the market. They can be a useful tool for finding short and compelling ways to express a certain idea, fact, or emotion. A book of quotations is one kind of publication we should all try to read every now and then.