A well-thought-out compilation that offers many intriguing insights.
Jones presents a collection of wise words from famous names and sources throughout history.
This book of quotations includes chapters on topics such as “War & Peace,” “Science & Technology,” and “Education.” Each chapter includes musings by a wide range of famous figures, from Oprah Winfrey to Socrates to Joseph Conrad. The topic of “Government, Politics & Social Justice” includes such varied sources as Benjamin Franklin (“Pardoning the bad is injuring the good”) and Margaret Thatcher (“When people are free to choose, they choose freedom”). “Creativity, Innovation & Curiosity” quotes filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille (“Creativity is a drug I cannot live without”) and novelist Ellen Glasgow (“No idea is so antiquated that it was not once modern. No idea is so modern that it will not someday be antiquated”). Each chapter includes further commentary from Jones. On the contents of “Spirituality, Faith & Philosophy,” he points out that “we are warned not to lose our leisure if we want to retain our souls.” Additional elements include the intriguing “Great Minds Think Alike,” in which Gore Vidal is credited with “A work of art is never finished; it is only abandoned” and George Lucas with “Films are never completed, they are abandoned.” Sports figures Bobby Unser, John McEnroe, and Tommy Lasorda all share thoughts on the desire to win, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Cicero, Woodrow Wilson, and George Bernard Shaw offer views on the responsibilities of liberty. “Wisdom Meditations” provide readers with an opportunity to use ideas from several sources to focus on a “Central Question,” such as “What is happiness?” or “Why am I not more creative?”
Much of the content is undeniably thought provoking. For example, “Humor & the Immortal Yogi Berra” includes an insightful remark from Shaw: “When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth.” A page devoted to “The Many Sides of Failure” contains familiar gems such as “Failure is the fertilizer of success” from motivational speaker Denis Waitley. Although the idea is nothing new, hearing it from a group of successful people has real impact. Some quotes, though, are perhaps a bit too recognizable to have much power; J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Not all those who wander are lost,” from The Fellowship of the Ring, or Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s “Well-behaved women seldom make history,” appear in many similar collections. Nevertheless, what sets this book apart from others is the author’s clear goal for readers to make complex connections and learn something from it all. Each chapter contains recommendations for other chapters, and the “Wisdom Meditations” offer a novel way of thinking deeply on various questions. The emphasis is not on simply reading the quotes for fun, but on using them in practical ways. As the author concludes, “Wisdom’s true value becomes realized when we put it into action.” Overall, this is certainly not just a random assortment of quotes, since it allows for contemplation in a carefully curated way.
A well-thought-out compilation that offers many intriguing insights.Pub Date: May 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780998324029
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dreamquest Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
It’s not Shakespeare, not by a long shot. But at least it’s not James Franco.
A noted actor turns to verse: “Poems are a Saturday in the middle of the week.”
McConaughey, author of the gracefully written memoir Greenlights, has been writing poems since his teens, closing with one “written in an Australian bathtub” that reads just as a poem by an 18-year-old (Rimbaud excepted) should read: “Ignorant minds of the fortunate man / Blind of the fate shaping every land.” McConaughey is fearless in his commitment to the rhyme, no matter how slight the result (“Oops, took a quick peek at the sky before I got my glasses, / now I can’t see shit, sure hope this passes”). And, sad to say, the slight is what is most on display throughout, punctuated by some odd koanlike aperçus: “Eating all we can / at the all-we-can-eat buffet, / gives us a 3.8 education / and a 4.2 GPA.” “Never give up your right to do the next right thing. This is how we find our way home.” “Memory never forgets. Even though we do.” The prayer portion of the program is deeply felt, but it’s just as sentimental; only when he writes of life-changing events—a court appearance to file a restraining order against a stalker, his decision to quit smoking weed—do we catch a glimpse of the effortlessly fluent, effortlessly charming McConaughey as exemplified by the David Wooderson (“alright, alright, alright”) of Dazed and Confused. The rest is mostly a soufflé in verse. McConaughey’s heart is very clearly in the right place, but on the whole the book suggests an old saw: Don’t give up your day job.
It’s not Shakespeare, not by a long shot. But at least it’s not James Franco.Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9781984862105
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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