The Cassell Dictionary of Anecdotes

Cassell here offers two serviceable additions to the speaker's reference shelf. The Cassell Dictionary of Anecdotes features over 1000 stories arranged alphabetically under 400 subject headings. The index provides further subject access, particularly to the people (usually famous) referred to in the stories, but does not include the sources of the anecdotes. Rees (Cassell Dictionary of Humorous Quotations) uses his years of lexicological experience to good effect, augmenting his pithy, humorous renditions of the stories with footnotes examining versions attributed to other people. While Americans and other nationalities are represented, British personalities do predominate. The Cassell Dictionary of Regrettable Quotations shares the British slant, but Milsted (Xenophile's Guide to the English) does not have Rees's ear for phrasing. He describes this work as "the thinking person's bathroom book," and many of the rash predictions and bald-faced lies he has collected have flat and awkward wording that would not work well with a listening audience. Milsted has arranged over 1500 entries under 250 subject headings with ample See also references. The index lists the sources and subjects (again, usually famous people) of the quotations. A livelier alternative to Milsted's book is the series by Ross and Kathryn Petras beginning with The 776 Stupidest Things Ever Said (Main Street, 1993).DVivian Reed, Long Beach P.L., CA
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