cover image And I Quote: The Definitive Collection of Quotes, Sayings, and Jokes for the Contemporary Speechmaker

And I Quote: The Definitive Collection of Quotes, Sayings, and Jokes for the Contemporary Speechmaker

Ashton Applewhite. Thomas Dunne Books, $27.95 (480pp) ISBN 978-0-312-30744-8

A good speech may have a ""good beginning and a good end-preferably close together,"" but tongue-tied toastmasters will cheer for this new edition of the exhaustive but sprightly and easy-to-use compendium of aphorisms, jokes and anecdotes. The book is designed for the speechmaker desperate for a nugget of wit and wisdom to spice up a talk; selections are arranged thematically, and an alphabetic index facilitates a quick look-up on topics from abortion to zeal. Orators will find timeless wisdom on truth, virtue and the meaning of life, while the many witticisms about the foibles of accountants, lawyers and psychiatrists (among others) are sure to keep trade-show and convention audiences in stitches. The editors include an introductory section on the art of public speaking (brevity, as always, is the soul of wit), but simply browsing through this treasury of well-turned phrases is bound to sharpen one's thoughts and elevate one's rhetoric.