Books and beyond

Mardy Grothe has been collecting sayings since his college days - all kinds of sayings: metaphors, sayings involving the word ‘if,’ others involving the word ‘never,’ oxymoronic sayings, and more. In I Never Metaphor I Didn’t Like, he groups the metaphors by category, such as ‘wit & humor,’ ‘insults & criticism,’ and ‘life-altering metaphors.’

Grothe quotes authors as diverse as Johnny Carson, Mark Twain, Mother Teresa, and Aristotle. His explanations introduce each category, often comparing similar metaphors from different eras and different cultures. Some examples: “Acting without thinking is like shooting without aiming,” by B.C. Forbes; “I personally am inclined to approach housework the way governments treat dissent; ignore it until it revolts,” by Barbara Kingsolver; and “Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers,” by Isaac Asimov. This is not a book to be rushed through but one to be dipped into, a little here, a little there. Enjoy. I have.