Books by Elizabeth Knowles (editor)
Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
by Elizabeth Knowles (editor)
The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations is probably the most authoritative book of quotations, especially if you're UK-based. It's now in its 8th edition, which appeared in 2014. The book is strong on ancient authors—e.g. Cicero, Lucretius, Virgil—but aims to stay up to date (the opening quote is from Iraqi archaeologist Raid Abdul Ridhar Mohammed, after the country's National Museum was looted in 2003). Given we're in the book business, one of our favourites here at Five Books is from Jane Austen (Northanger Abbey ch. 5):
"Oh! it is only a novel!…only Cecilia, or Camilla, or Belinda:’ or, in short, only some work in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language."
