Preposterous Proverbs: Why Fine Words Butter No Parsnips by Max Cryer
From our earliest years we have heard proverbs, and many of them are repeated without much thought. Yes, birds of a feather flock together and absence makes the heart grow fonder, but these sayings are so familiar that we are scarcely aware they are proverbs. It has been so for thousands of years, in every culture. It is only when someone like Max Cryer takes the time to look at them that we can see how these pearls of wisdom have played such a key role in the moral guidance of every society. Sometimes the wisdom is distinctly odd, sometimes it has become outdated, and sometimes it is simply contradictory. After all, do many hands make light work or do too many cooks spoil the broth? You can't really have it both ways.
In Preposterous Proverbs, Max Cryer looks at a vast array of proverbs from around the world. Proverbs on birth, food, women and love rub shoulders with others on money, animals, sin and death. He has chosen some of the most interesting and perplexing, and with his characteristic wry wit he analyses their meaning and truth. A great book to dip into, Preposterous Proverbs will take you from Greece (A thousand men cannot undress a naked man) and China (A dry finger cannot pick up salt) to Japan (Fools and scissors must be carefully handled) and India (A fat spouse is a quilt for the winter).
About The Author
Max Cryer is a language expert with many years experience of researching and writing on the subject. A well-known broadcaster and entertainer, he hosts a weekly radio slot on quirks of the English language. In a long career, he has been a schoolteacher, a compere and television host, as well as a performer on the opera stage in London and in cabaret in Las Vegas and Hollywood. Now a full-time writer living in Auckland, he has written many books, including Who Said That First?, Love Me Tender and The Godzone Dictionary.
Format: Paperback | 272 pages
Dimensions (cm): 19.8 x 12.6 x 1.8 | 350g
Publication Date: 01 Nov 2011
Publisher: Exisle Publishing
Publication City/Country: Wollombi, Australia
Language: English
ISBN10: 1921497459
ISBN13: 9781921497452
Condition: Very Good
A book that does not look new and has been read but is in excellent condition. No obvious damage to the cover. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text. On the top-right corner of the first page a previous owner has written their name in blue pen: "Fiona Perry 2014". No other writing in the margins. Apart from the name of a previous owner, the book is like new. Very minimal wear and tear.