Join us on a literary world trip!
Add this book to bookshelf
Grey
Write a new comment Default profile 50px
Grey
Subscribe to read the full book or read the first pages for free!
All characters reduced
Oxymoronica - Paradoxical Wit and Wisdom from History's Greatest Wordsmiths - cover

We are sorry! The publisher (or author) gave us the instruction to take down this book from our catalog. But please don't worry, you still have more than 500,000 other books you can enjoy!

Oxymoronica - Paradoxical Wit and Wisdom from History's Greatest Wordsmiths

Mardy Grothe

Publisher: HarperCollins e-books

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Summary

ox-y-mor-on-i-ca (OK-se-mor-ON-uh-ca) noun, plural: Any variety of tantalizing, self-contradictory statements or observations that on the surface appear false or illogical, but at a deeper level are true, often profoundly true. See also oxymoron, paradox.examples:"Melancholy is the pleasure of being sad."Victor Hugo"To lead the people, walk behind them." Lao-tzu"You'd be surprised how much it coststo look this cheap."Dolly Parton 
You won't find the word "oxymoronica" in any dictionary (at least not yet) because Dr. Mardy Grothe introduces it to readers in this delightful collection of 1,400 of the most provocative quotations of all time. From ancient thinkers like Confucius, Aristotle, and Saint Augustine to great writers like Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and G. B. Shaw to modern social observers like Woody Allen and Lily Tomlin, Oxymoronica celebrates the power and beauty of paradoxical thinking. All areas of human activity are explored, including love, sex and romance, politics, the arts, the literary life, and, of course, marriage and family life. The wise and witty observations in this book are as highly entertaining as they are intellectually nourishing and are sure to grab the attention of language lovers everywhere.
Available since: 10/20/2010.

Other books that might interest you

  • मैं पंजाबी सीख रहा हूँ - I listen I repeat I speak : language learning course - cover

    मैं पंजाबी सीख रहा हूँ - I...

    JM Gardner

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    The complete method. 300 essential words and phrases, 140 common expressions, the 100 most common verbs, the 1000 essential words. How to learn a language differently ? With our learning method : I listen, I repeat, I speak. We rely on pronunciation, oral rehearsal, listening, combined with words, essential phrases, and a vocabulary list. 20% of the words are used 80% of the time. The end goal is to get a sufficient level in one language to be able to hold simple conversations, to be able to understand simple exchanges, deal with with everyday life and start exploring the new culture that opens up to you.
    Show book
  • The Author Estate Handbook - How to Organize Your Affairs and Leave a Legacy - cover

    The Author Estate Handbook - How...

    M.L. Ronn

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    The definitive guide to estate planning for authors—now available in audiobook and large print! 
    If you died tomorrow, would your books survive you? 
    It's so easy to focus on writing and marketing. You’re so busy building a writing business, but you know that if you don’t plan on what will happen after your death, everything you’re building won’t matter. 
    Yet, you probably don’t know where to start.  
    This book will help you get your affairs in order, understand estate planning basics, and make a plan so that you can create a legacy that will continue making money for your family long after you're gone.Get organized once and for all--quickly and painlesslyAvoid the top 10 estate-ending mistakesLearn how to gather all your affairs in one placeDiscover key talking points to bring up with your estate planning attorney that no one else will tell you about 
    From passwords to bank accounts to book retailer accounts, this book will hold your hand through the process of getting your ducks in a row. 
    This book will help you get more organized and help your heirs make more money from your books. It'll give you a fighting chance at preserving the amazing legacy you're already building.  
    V2.0
    Show book
  • The Way of the Writer - Reflections on the Art and Craft of Storytelling - cover

    The Way of the Writer -...

    Charles Johnson

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    An award-winning novelist, philosopher, essayist, screenwriter, professor, and cartoonist, Charles Johnson has devoted his life to creative pursuit. His 1990 National Book Award-winning novel Middle Passage is a modern classic, revered as much for its daring plot as its philosophical underpinnings. For thirty-three years, Johnson taught and mentored students in the art and craft of creative writing. The Way of the Writer is his record of those years, and the coda to a kaleidoscopic, boundary-shattering career.Organized into six accessible, easy-to-navigate sections, The Way of the Writer is both a literary reflection on the creative impulse and a utilitarian guide to the writing process. Johnson shares his lessons and exercises from the classroom, starting with word choice, sentence structure, and narrative voice, and delving into the mechanics of scene, dialogue, plot, and storytelling before exploring the larger questions at stake for the serious writer. What separates literature from industrial fiction? What lies at the heart of the creative impulse? How does one navigate the literary world? And how are philosophy and fiction concomitant?
    Show book
  • Chinese Culture Capsules - cover

    Chinese Culture Capsules

    Audio-Forum Audio-Forum

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Essential Insights into Chinese Culture!Culture Capsules gives you the understanding you need to be at ease with Chinese manners, customs, and ways of life. China, the world's most populous country, is a vast land of artistic treasures and ancient philosophy that is rapidly acquiring mastery of modern technology. Just as a well-traveled friend might give you advice about the best restaurants Beijing or the easiest way to travel from city to city, Culture Capsules illuminates the Chinese way of life to help you make the most of your trip - whether for business or pleasure. Features:Become familiar with the rules and etiquette of Chinese gift givingLearn how to find and use a taxiDiscover some of the subtleties of Chinese cuisine
    Show book
  • Learn German for Beginners - cover

    Learn German for Beginners

    Pro Language Learning

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Discover the Best and Fastest Way to Learn German With This Guide Designed Specifically for Beginners.Would you like to:     • Learn how to speak German fluently?     • Learn proper and accurate German pronunciation?     • Master the German vocabulary and daily used phrases?But you:     • Don't have much time on your hands?     • Think that learning German is tedious and boring?You don't have to worry, because this beginner's guide for learning German has everything you need to get started. Especially if you have never learned German before.Every lesson you can find inside has been made by experts and adapted for persons that don't know a single word of German but are willing to learn. Even if you don't have much time on your hands, the lessons are designed so that you can stop whenever you want and continue at a later time.The topics are fascinating and interactive so that the learning will be easy and fun!Here is what this beginner's guide can offer you:     • Step-by-step guide for learning German: Follow easy step-by-step directions and learn how to speak German like a native.     • Vocabulary exercises: Find out how to easily enrich your German vocabulary with fun and simple activities.     • Common daily phrases: Learn the most common phrases in the German language and when to use them.      • Ease of access:  Learn German in the car, learn German at home, learn German on the road. Learn German whenever and wherever you want. If you are looking for a fast and easy way to learn German, this guide is perfect for you. With these step-by-step guides and exercises, you'll speak German like a native in no time. So what are you waiting for?Scroll up and Start Listening Now!
    Show book
  • The Seven Deadly Sins of Writing - Common Pitfalls of Prose and How to Avoid Them - cover

    The Seven Deadly Sins of Writing...

    Angie Kiesling

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    A book editor with decades of publishing experience shows writers how to avoid mistakes in this quick, whimsical guide.   This concise guidebook borrows the idea of the Seven Deadly Sins from the Middle Ages and applies it to the craft of writing—revealing seven “Deadly Don’ts” that the author, a veteran book editor, has encountered time and time again in writers’ work.   In addition to showing you how to avoid those all-too-common mistakes, she provides a “Divine Do” for each, offering useful take-aways writers can use to communicate more clearly and effectively, whether they’re working on a masterpiece-in-progress or just want to sharpen their everyday writing skills.
    Show book