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Viva la Repartee: Clever Comebacks and Witty Retorts from History's Great Wits and Wordsmiths
Price:$5.99
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Product Description
For most of us, that perfect retort or witty reply often escapes us when we need it most, only to come to mind with perfect clarity when it's too late to be useful. The twentieth-century writer Heywood Broun described this all-too-common phenomenon when he wrote "Repartee is what we wish we'd said." In Viva la Repartee, Dr. Mardy Grothe, author of Oxymoronica, has lovingly assembled a collection of masterfully composed -- and perfectly timed -- replies that have turned the tables on opponents and adversaries. This delightful volume is a celebration of the most impressive retorts, ripostes, rejoinders, comebacks, quips, ad-libs, bon mots, off-the-cuff comments, wisecracks, and other clever remarks ever to come out of the mouths -- and from the pens -- of people throughout history. Touching on all areas of human endeavor, including politics, the arts, literature, sports, relationships, and even the risqué, the book features contributions from Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Dorothy Parker, Mae West, Groucho Marx, Winston Churchill, Dolly Parton, and scores more. As entertaining as it is intellectually enriching, Viva la Repartee is sure to capture the attention of language lovers and is the perfect antidote for anyone who's ever thought I wish I'd said that! |
Customers Reviews
2008-07-21
Great book
As one reviewer of this book wrote:"This book isn't guaranteed to make you more clever, but it certainly can't hurt." This book is ingeniously written. Don't be alarmed if you find yourself laughing aloud. This book will keep you engaged from beginning to end. I have recommended it to several friends already.
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2008-05-30
absolutely great
one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, book i have ever read. replete with smart and ingenious comeback with full story behind it, unlike many other books that merely quote the retorts.
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2008-01-06
Salient snippets and laser focued wit
An absolute joy.
Mardy Grothe's "Viva La Repartee" is a carefully edited collection of stories, excerpts, salient snippets that all fall under the heading of "Gee, I wish I'd said that..." An absolute joy from the first page (Winston Churchill's rejoinder to Lady Astor) to the the last page (Mae West's caustic aside in the film Myra Breckenridge).
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2007-10-25
Vive la Repartee
This is a lovely collection of wonderful replies, retorts, Bon Mots et. al. It is fun to read and is full of historical allusions that make the journey all the more delightful. It is a great gift for the writer in your life, even if the writer is you.
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2006-07-11
Very entertaining -- and educational!
Entertaining little book packed full of examples of great comebacks and wit from a variety of different times, different people, and different circumstances. The book is broken down into chapters focusing on a specific type of repartee, such as "Classic Quips," "Laconic Repartee," "Stage & Screen Repartee," and "Inadvertent Repartee" (as well as many others). Some of them made me laugh out loud, and usually those were coming from the same three people: Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill, and Dorothy Parker. But there were a gazillion I'd never heard of that were pretty hilarious as well. This is an engaging, funny, and educational (really, it is!) book that I enjoyed reading quite a bit. Great for when you only have time for short snatches of reading. I've learned a lot of slammin' comebacks I hope to have a chance to use soon!
My one complaint about the book, though, is that it was missing the best witty laconic (extremely brief) response of all time. During the Battle of the Bulge in WWII, the Germans sent a message to the American army demanding our unconditional surrender, or else we'd be annihilated. General McAuliffe's one word response? "Nuts!" Damn, I just love that one. Recommended!
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