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Product Description
Book Description
Upgrade your small talk instantly with this compendium of crisp one-liners collected by the creators of QI.
Product Description
Have you ever wondered why most books of quotations are stuffed full of rather pedestrian quotes by people you've never heard of?
It's a shame because a really good quotation book, one which gathered the truest and funniest insights of the best minds, and organised them into 250 subjects, from ambition to worry, (or from artichokes to woodpeckers), a book which offered you a useful take on almost every situation life throws at you (from the death of your child's hamster to the unified theory of everything), a sourcebook of wise one-loners, of knock-out jokes, of drole asides and heartfelt statements of truth and beauty, a practical handbook of interestingness , well, that would be worth having. And, guess what? Those thoughtful gentlemen at QI have come up with one.
Five years of learning how to avoid the dull stuff have left the QI team in a uniquely good position to deliver this elusive holy grail: the big, useful, funny and really very good book of quotations.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Normally one to stick with "stores" or novels such as Sedaris and his "Me Talk Pretty" or the funny books "Barring Some Unforeseen Accident" or "Stephen Fry in America," I found this great and hysterical book of quotations quite by accident. Favorites include:
People say they sleep like a baby until they have one.
All anybody needs to know about prizes is that Mozart never won one.
And, with apologies to America, this from Ronald Reagan (you might have thought George Bush) "What would this country be without this great land of ours?"
And for those of you who remember some great quotes but can't remember who or where they came from , this is invaluable. Lest you think this is strictly "bathroom" reading, let me assure you, it is not. Neither is it something you're going to want to sit down with for hours, but it is a great reference book, great fun, and you'll be amazed at who said what.
People say they sleep like a baby until they have one.
All anybody needs to know about prizes is that Mozart never won one.
And, with apologies to America, this from Ronald Reagan (you might have thought George Bush) "What would this country be without this great land of ours?"
And for those of you who remember some great quotes but can't remember who or where they came from , this is invaluable. Lest you think this is strictly "bathroom" reading, let me assure you, it is not. Neither is it something you're going to want to sit down with for hours, but it is a great reference book, great fun, and you'll be amazed at who said what.
63 of 68 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I absolutely love this book. I have hundreds of quotation books, but they almost all lack the editorial style of Messrs Lloyd and Mitchinson. The big difference is that quotation books are normally only really reference books, this one flows so that you find yourself absorbed and taken along by it.
Other reviewers suggest it's nothing to do with the TV show QI. I don't agree. John Lloyd and John Mitchinson dreamed up and produce the QI TV show, and you can tell the humour and approach is from the same place. The great thing about the TV show is nothing is off limits. If it is interesting and it is funny, it is in. From Greek philosophy to the profane and odd, anything goes. The same applies to this excellent book, and that, along with the Johns' comedy and editorial talent is why this is different from the others.
Other reviewers suggest it's nothing to do with the TV show QI. I don't agree. John Lloyd and John Mitchinson dreamed up and produce the QI TV show, and you can tell the humour and approach is from the same place. The great thing about the TV show is nothing is off limits. If it is interesting and it is funny, it is in. From Greek philosophy to the profane and odd, anything goes. The same applies to this excellent book, and that, along with the Johns' comedy and editorial talent is why this is different from the others.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Ever read the entirety of a reference book, cover to cover? Me neither. And you won't be counting Advanced Banter: The QI Book of Quotations as a first, I'm fairly sure. This rather sizeable collection definitely works best as something to dip into. The quotations are split thematically, and although you sense that they gathered the material first and then separated it out, this doesn't detract from its quality. Comedians, scientists, artists, statesmen, novelists and philosophers are counted among the talking heads in a collection that runs the gamut from the profound to the throwaway, the clever-clever to the surprisingly heartfelt. (It's this jumping about in terms of tone, by the way, that makes this book best taken down from your shelf and dipped into little and often.) All the usual topics are here - love, duty, wisdom - but much of the material is surprisingly fresh and wisely avoids many of the hackneyed aphorisms that we could probably all already quote. Less Oscar Wilde, more Russian proverbs, as it happens. Not that I subscribe to the really quite ridiculous premise of this book - that you might drop one of its pearls into your conversations. Not in the world I inhabit, certainly. However unrealistic, if you like what can be done with a well-chosen word, it's well worth swallowing this for the opportunity to treasure such lines as `You can recognise a cruel man: he cries in the cinema' (Graham Greene). I like that one.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Bantastic
A great big collection of inspirational, funny, moving, ironic and memorable quotes all in one bumper book. The QI boffins have struck gold again.
Published 1 month ago by eck4355
Interesting Quotes
I bought this book because of the "Q.I." tag and I have enjoyed reading 3 other "Q.I" books which are linked to the TV series. Read more
Published 4 months ago by sandi steer
Wit & Wisdom
From the profound to the ridiculous without favouring either side. I dipped into this book on a continuous basis over a month or so. Read more
Published 15 months ago by JCB
Hilarious
This little book is a fantastic and amusing read! Granted you won't be reading it cover to cover but I never cease to come back to it for occasional laughs, it covers almost all... Read more
Published 17 months ago by the quarter blood prince
qi book of witty banter
Good book to flick through not really a relax and read more of a bathroom book I.e. for lieing in the bath with or a good on the loo book
Published 20 months ago by Dazmart
The only quote book you will ever need
I wasnt sure what to expect when ordering this, but still took the chance and glad I did.
The book is arranged usefully in alphabetical order using the most relevant... Read more
The book is arranged usefully in alphabetical order using the most relevant... Read more
Published 22 months ago by K. Rose
Useless Delivery
I can't review this item as the delivery company were useless. I didn't happen to be at home when they tried to deliver and then they didn't bother again. Read more
Published on 25 April 2010 by V. Scholey
book
Good fun to read and dip in and out of. Would make a good present.
Published on 6 April 2010 by S. M. Harris
Typical Q.I. - Excellent!
An absolute MUST for anyone who uses wise one-liners, knockout jokes, droll asides and heartfelt statements of truth and beauty.
e.g. - On Sex... Read more
e.g. - On Sex... Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2010 by Mr. G. Johns
Very Inspirational
A must have hand book for all deep thinkers, intellectuals and those just looking for moments of inspiration. Read more
Published on 14 Feb 2010 by D. M. Strachan
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