Dr. Mardy’s website is a quote lover’s paradise. It serves as a constant source of inspiration for my writing practice. I first learned about it when I bought his book I Never Metaphor I Didn’t Like, and since then I’ve become a lifelong fan of his work. Here’s one of my favorite quotes from his collection: “It is a little embarrassing that, after forty-five years of research and study, the best advice I can give to people is to be a little kinder to each other.” Aldous Huxley, quoted in Laura Archera Huxley, This Timeless Moment: A Personal View of Aldous Huxley (1963). So here are the seven best Dr. Mardy Grothe books that will make you a better writer:
1. Viva la Repartee: Clever Comebacks and Witty Retorts from History’s Great Wits and Wordsmiths
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!
2. Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You
What do Mae West, John F. Kennedy, Victor Hugo, and H. L. Mencken have in common?
They all indulged in chiasmus-a literary device in which word order is reversed to hilarious or poignant effect.
When Mae West said, “It’s not the men in my life, it’s the life in my men,” she was using chiasmus; when John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” he was doing the same.
In Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You, Dr. Mardy Grothe has compiled hundreds of examples of chiasmus in this whimsically illustrated collection, bringing this witty and thought-provoking device out of obscurity and into the public imagination.
3. I Never Metaphor I Didn’t Like: A Comprehensive Compilation of History’s Greatest Analogies, Metaphors, and Similes
“The murals in restaurants are on a par with the food in museums.”
“America is an enormous frosted cupcake in the middle of millions of starving people.”
“Critics are like pigs at the pastry cart.”
Describing something by relating it to another thing is the essence of metaphorical thought. It is one of the oldest activities of humankind—and one of the most impressive when done skillfully.
Throughout history, many masters of metaphor have crafted observations that are so spectacular they have taken up a permanent residence in our minds.
In I Never Metaphor I Didn’t Like, quotation maven Dr. Mardy Grothe fixes his attention on the three superstars of figurative language—analogies, metaphors, and similes.
The result is an extraordinary compilation of nearly 2,000 feats of association that will entertain, educate, and occasionally inspire quotation lovers everywhere.
In this intellectual smorgasbord, the author of Oxymoronica and Viva la Repartee explains figurative language in a refreshingly down-to-earth way before taking readers on a tour of history’s greatest word pictures.
In chapters on wit, love, sex, stage and screen, insults, politics, sports, and more, you will find quotations from Aristotle and Maya Angelou to George Washington and Oprah Winfrey.
4. Ifferisms: An Anthology of Aphorisms That Begin with the Word “IF”
Perfect for linguaphiles and lovers of quotes, Ifferisms is a lively compendium of wit, wisdom, and wordplay from Dr. Mardy Grothe, author of I Never Metaphor I Didn’t Like, Viva La Repartee, and Oxymoronica.
A collection of aphorisms—pithy observations that communicate some kind of truth about the human experience—Ifferisms contains those that begin with “if.”
From “If life hands you lemons, make lemonade” to “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” the sayings in Ifferisms demonstrate how hypothetical thinking helps people contemplate their lives.
5. Neverisms: A Quotation Lover’s Guide to Things You Should Never Do, Never Say, or Never Forget
From Mardy Grothe, the author of Ifferisms, Oxymoronica, and I Never Met a Metaphor I Didn’t Like, comes Neverisms a new collection of witty and wise quotations about what never to do in life.
Remember, “never let the fear of striking out get in your way” (BabeRuth), “never hit anyone if you can help it, but never hit soft”(Theodore Roosevelt); “never be afraid to sit a while and think” (Lorraine Hansberry); and, of course, never leave home without the perfect quote for any occasion from Dr. Mardy’s Neverisms.
6. Oxymoronica
A must-have for language lovers, this compendium contains hundreds of mind-stretching observations that are contradictory or illogical on one level, yet true, witty, and often profound on another.
ox-y-mor-on-i-ca (OK-se-mor-ON-uh-ca) noun: Any variety of tantalizing, self-contradictory statements or observations that on the surface appear false or illogical, but at a deeper level are profoundly true.
For example:
“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 costs to look this cheap.”
—Dolly PartonFor over a decade Dr. Mardy Grothe has delighted readers with this 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, romance, politics, the arts, marriage and family, and, of course, the literary life.
Sure to grab the attention of language lovers everywhere, the wise and witty observations in this book are as entertaining as they are intellectually nourishing.
7. Metaphors Be With You: An A to Z Dictionary of History’s Greatest Metaphorical Quotations
“An idea is a feat of association, and the height of it is a good metaphor.” — Robert Frost
For 3,000 years, great thinkers and writers have relied on the device of metaphor to articulate profound thoughts, give voice to powerful emotions, and creatively explain complex ideas.
But metaphorical language is not the sole province of poets, philosophers, and playwrights. If you’ve ever tried to describe a broken heart, a thankless child, or a glorious triumph, you know how valuable—and compelling—the perfect metaphor can be.
In Metaphors Be With You, respected quotation anthologist Dr. Mardy Grothe has created the definitive collection of history’s greatest metaphorical quotations.
While crafting his lists of “The Ten Best Things Ever Said” on 250 topics of deep human interest, Dr. Mardy examined more than five million metaphorical observations from literature, politics, philosophy, religion, history, pop culture, and more.
Essential for writers, readers, and language aficionados, this remarkable sourcebook breaks new ground by using QR Codes to digitally integrate it with “Dr. Mardy’s Dictionary of Metaphorical Quotations” (DMDMQ), the world’s largest online database of metaphorical quotations.
The elegant synergy between print and technology provides curious readers with detailed source information for all quotations, innumerable “Error Alerts,” countless quotation backstories, and a wealth of other quotations to further their knowledge and deepen their understanding of favorite quotations.
Whether you’re crafting a speech, writing a novel, or simply searching for new ways to express yourself, this meticulously curated compendium is as delightful to read as it is invaluable to own—and sure to inspire with the perfect metaphor every time.
Complement this list of best Dr. Mardy Grothe’s books with George Orwell on the four reasons why writers write, Jack Kerouac’s 30 rules of writing, and then revisit our articles on how to practice lovingkindness meditation, 3 best Sharon Salzberg books on lovingkindness, and 100 best kindness quotes to improve mindfulness.
About the author: Dr. Mardy Grothe is a retired psychologist, management consultant, and platform speaker. A lifelong quotation collector, Grothe has published seven previous quotation anthologies. Known simply as “Dr. Mardy” to his many fans worldwide, he was hailed by Fred Shapiro, editor of The Yale Book of Quotations as “one of the most profound and popular quotation-book authors of all time.” His books include Viva la Repartee and Metaphors Be With You.
I’m a freelance writer with 6 years of experience in SEO blogging and article publishing. I currently run two websites: MindfulSpot.com and OurReadingLife.com. While you’re here, get the latest updates by subscribing to my newsletter.
