Short Flights: Thirty-Two Modern Writers Share Aphorisms of Insight, Inspiration, and Wit

Editors Lough and Stein prove that good things come in small packages with this collection of modern aphorisms—short but sweet nuggets of wisdom, humor, insight, and clever turn of phrase. The 32 contributors (many of them poets) introduce their work with prefaces, often confiding what the aphorisms mean to them. Their efforts delve into philosophy, self-reflection, and witty observation, often with what Lough, in his introduction, calls a twist (as in Oscar Wilde’s “I can resist anything except temptation”). Whether offering social criticism (such as Steven Carter’s gently barbed “Much can be tolerated by condemning it”), fine advice (as in James Guida’s “Bosses, like cats, should have to wear little bells to warn of their approach”), or keen definitions (“Panic is worry on a tight schedule,” according to George Murray), each writer presents a worldview in bite-sized, memorable bon mots. Admittedly, another old saw—“A little goes a long way”—is also applicable, and the book is probably best dipped into at intervals. Not every writer will be to every reader’s taste, but there is sure to be something for everyone in this proverbial box of chocolates. [em](Nov.) [/em]