Lend Me Your Ears

The power of words in politics is well known, and Lend Me Your Ears, the fourth edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Political Quotations, brings together both words of wisdom and things that might have been better left unsaid. This unique reference book not only charts the most influential political events of recent times via the things people said about them - including an international financial crisis and a watershed in American presidential politics - but also digs deeper than ever into the rich heritage of political history from around the world. A mouth-watering collection for anyone with an interest in history and politics, Antony Jay (co-author of the famous TV series Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister) has assembled both a crash course in political wisdom past and present and a treasure trove of politicians' cock-ups and put-downs, with more than 300 new quotations and over 90 new authors, from Sarah Palin to David Cameron by way of Silvio Berlusconi. Lend Me Your Ears includes an essay by the political journalist Matthew Parris and keyword and subject indexes to help in tracing just the right quote. New quotations include: 'The inherited and permanent fact that North America speaks English.' Otto von Bismarck, when asked what was the greatest political fact of modern times 'British jobs for British workers.' Gordon Brown 'If I misspoke that was just a misstatement.' Hillary Rodham Clinton 'You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.' Rahm Emanuel 'A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to excuse his failure to keep his word.' Niccolo Machiavelli 'We are not going to give up our country for a mere X on a ballot. How can a ballpoint pen fight with a gun?' Robert Mugabe 'We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.' Barack Obama

ISBN 0199572674   Pages 480 ISBN13 9780199572670 (What's this?)   Weight (grammes) 597 Publisher Oxford University Press   Published in Oxford Imprint Oxford University Press   Previous ISBN 9780192806161 Format Hardback   Height (mm) 198 Publication date 28 Oct 2010   Width (mm) 136 DEWEY 320.03   Spine width (mm) 41 DEWEY edition DC22   Academic level General

		Introduction to the Fourth Edition
		Introduction to the First Edition
		From Rhetoric to Sound Bites by Matthew Parris
		How to Use the Dictionary
		Dictionary		1
		Special categories
		Epitaphs		106
		Last words		178
		Misquotations		215
		Mottoes		221
		Newspaper headlines and leaders		225
		Official advice		231
		Proverbs and sayings		251
		Slogans		290
		Songs		296
		Keyword Index		343
		Selective Subject Index		439
		UK General Election 2010		445

"Excellent."--Daily Express

"There is something on every page to make you sit up with interest, chuckle, or reconsider what you thought you knew."-Mail on Sunday

"This is not merely an excellent work, but it fills a serious gap."--Financial Times

 Be the first to write a customer review