The Quotable Woman: Witty, Poignant, And Insightful Observations From Notable Women

Not to be confused with Elaine Partnow's excellent The Quotable Woman 1800- 1981 ( LJ 6/1/83), this compilation of women's wit and wisdom offers an eclectic selection of quotations indexed only by name. The contents are organized under topical headings, i.e., "challenges," "opportunity," "beauty," etc. The lack of a subject or keyword index diminishes this title's usefulness for a reference collection. There are a number of women here not quoted in Partnow's first volume; however many of them can be found in the "prequel," The Quotable Woman: Eve to 1799 ( LJ 12/84). Nearly ten years have passed since the publication of Partnow's first collection: this title does offer recent quotations. The depth of coverage here is limited to two or three, but mostly one quotation per entrant, while Partnow cites more than a few for each. A marginal purchase, perhaps more appropriate as a graduation gift than as an addition to a reference collection. Hopefully Partnow's compilation will be updated in the not-too-distant future.
- Carolyn M. Mu lac, Chicago P.L.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.