Susan Ratcliffe has collected wise and witty remarks on virtually any topic you can imagine, from timeless themes such as Chance and Courage to more recent subjects such as Genetic Engineering, Rock and Pop Music, and The Internet. Readers will find memorable lines on Baseball and Beethoven, on Cars and Cosmetics, on Parents and Punishment, and on Weddings and Warfare. There are many quotes from traditional sources, from The Bible to Horace to Shakespeare, but most of the quotes come from 20th-century sources, giving the collection a modern feel. The quoted include world leaders (from FDR to Bill Clinton), writers (Mark Twain, Gore Vidal), humorists (Garrison Keillor, Woody Allen), celebrities, sports stars, philosophers, and religious figures. There are many separate but related themes -- for example, Journalism, News, Newspapers, and Press Photographers -- and many helpful cross-references lead the reader to similar topics, so that Warfare links to The Army, Weapons, and individual wars such as the GuLf War or World War II. The book concludes with a useful author index.

An indispensable reference for writers and speakers, The Oxford Dictionary of Thematic Quotations is also gold mine of delightful discoveries for browsers who enjoy wise sayings, elegant turns of phrase, or wicked repartee.