Bartlett's Familiar Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature (17th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Do not order at any cost
Review: This ebook version is totally unusable. The interface is fine for a document that will be read page by page. It is impossible for this 1,00+ page reference book. When you download it and find it is completely unsable, you will then find that Amazon is not making refunds on ebooks. THAT FACT IS NOT SHOWN ON THIS PAGE. Save your [$$$]. If you want Bartlett's - as many of us do - buy the printed version. This virtual version [stinks]. [Of course that is a technical term.]

Rating:
Summary: Passable but certainly not the best ...
Review: This edition is a bit too trendy (and, especially, too "politically correct" in some respects) and omits many classic quotes featured in previous editions. I shall stay with my 15th edition and actually wish I had kept my 14th and 13th as well. Hopefully, the earlier variations are still available in nice condition at a reasonable price. I intend to do a search for some of those earlier versions and I recommend that other serious "quote book" users do the same.

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Summary: Superb Dictionairy of Quotations, equally superb index
Review: This is a 'thinking man's' book, it is very well laid out, includes many (sometimes very obscure) quotations, is extremely well on sources (something that is so blatantly absent from many dictionairies of quotations), and includes a large amount of cross-references (although you can find a lot more yourself by careful browsing). If you buy only one book of quotations, this should be your choice. A good second is Oxford's, but Bartlett has got the best index of any reference work ever (it is more than 700 pages itself!) The preface of the book contains a sour message on the state of illiteracy in the USA, it is best left alone, but the rest of the book cannot be recommended enough. In sum, this is the best reference book of quotations available.

Rating:
Summary: King of Quote Books
Review: This is the king of quote books. A wonderful source for authors too. There is such a rich variety of great thoughts in this book. Thanks for taking the time to write it.



Rating:
Summary: DON'T BUY IT!
Review: THIS NEW BARTLETT'S IS A WASTE OF MONEY. IT IS 600% MORE MONEY THAN MY ELEVENTH EDITION, AND IT HAS 30% LESS CONTENT AS FAR AS QUOTATIONS GO. THE LARGE INDEX (COMPUTERIZED) GIVES ACCESS TO CONTENT RIDDLED WITH TRASH ADDED BY THE EDITOR: TRASH THAT WILL BE CONSIGNED TO THE GARBAGE HEAP OF HISTORY IN ANOTHER TWENTY YEARS. IT'S FULL OF VULGAR ONE-LINERS; SOME JUST TITLES OF PRETENTIOUS "WORKS". SAVE YOUR MONEY. ORDER AN OLDER EDITION AT HALF THE PRICE

Rating:
Summary: Great Refrence but DON'T BUY IT.
Review: This very large book is 50% index and everything in it is referenced to the source, unlike competing products. But, it is such a giant waste of physical resources (trees) I can't encourage people buying it. Think about it, it's 50% index! This is a prime example of something that should always be computerized. Until people stop buying books like this on principle, the producers won't move the information completely to the web where it belongs.

Rating:
Summary: The definitive Quotations Book
Review: Well over 100 years old, Bartlett's is the definitive Quotations reference. That said, don't expect to find everything there - it's just not possible to include everything. I have over 20 quotation books and still can't find some things.

An excellent reference book. Don't try to read it cover to cover unless you're an insane quotation freak (like myself).