Preposterous Proverbs

Author : Max Cryer
Publisher : Exisle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1927147948
Total Pages : 274 pages
Book Rating : 4.48/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Preposterous Proverbs written by Max Cryer and published by Exisle Publishing. This book was released on 2011-09-08 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From our earliest years we have heard proverbs, and many of them are repeated without much thought. Yes, ‘birds of a feather flock together’ and ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’, but these sayings are so familiar that we are scarcely aware they are proverbs. It has been so for thousands of years, in every culture. It is only when someone like Max Cryer takes the time to look at them that we can see how these ‘pearls of wisdom’ have played such a key role in the moral guidance of every society. Sometimes the wisdom is distinctly odd, sometimes it has become outdated, and sometimes it is simply contradictory. After all, do ‘many hands make light work’ or do ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’? You can’t really have it both ways.In 'Preposterous Proverbs', Max Cryer looks at a vast array of proverbs from around the world. Proverbs on birth, food, women and love rub shoulders with others on money, animals, sin and death. He has chosen some of the most interesting and perplexing, and with his characteristic wry wit he analyses their meaning and truth. A great book to dip into, 'Preposterous Proverbs' will take you from Greece (‘A thousand men cannot undress a naked man’) and China (‘A dry finger cannot pick up salt’) to Japan (‘Fools and scissors must be carefully handled’) and India (‘A fat spouse is a quilt for the winter’).

Author : Max Cryer
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781927187104
Total Pages : 270 pages
Book Rating : 4.09/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Preposterous Proverbs written by Max Cryer and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Author : Max Cryer
Publisher : Exisle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1775591514
Total Pages : 215 pages
Book Rating : 4.11/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Is It True? written by Max Cryer and published by Exisle Publishing. This book was released on 2014-03-01 with total page 215 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We can all remember the stories we were told as children: Santa Claus lives at the North Pole; St Bernard dogs carry brandy to help lost climbers; Lady Godiva rode naked through Coventry. They were great stories – and we believed them. But are they true? Max Cryer sets out to investigate the truth or otherwise of ideas and beliefs we may have always been told are true, but which on closer examination may not be. For example: Did Winston Churchill coin the term ‘Iron Curtain’? ‘OK’ is an American expression, right? Tulips come from Holland, don’t they? Did Sarah Palin say, ‘I can see Russia from my house?’ The subjects covered in this highly entertaining book are diverse, ranging from politics, science and social history, to language, music and the natural world. Max Cryer approaches each with an open mind, seeking to uncover the truth behind some of our most cherished beliefs. Be prepared for surprises.

Author : Alexander T. Kirk
Publisher : SBL Press
ISBN 13 : 1628375671
Total Pages : 325 pages
Book Rating : 4.71/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Agur's Wisdom and the Coherence of Proverbs 30 written by Alexander T. Kirk and published by SBL Press. This book was released on 2024-05-10 with total page 325 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this first in-depth study of Proverbs 30, the Words of Agur, Alexander T. Kirk examines a puzzling text attributed to an unknown figure that has long fascinated scholars. While this material has been read as everything from a devout confession to a cry of despair, few interpreters have found any real coherence in the chapter. In this detailed philological study engaging both genre and tone, Kirk demonstrates that the chapter is best read as a coherent collection that mocks pride and greed while it commends humility and contentment. Kirk draws out many subtle literary features that augment Agur’s message, including humor and animal imagery. Ultimately, Proverbs 30 deepens the presentation of wisdom in the book of Proverbs by orienting it toward a proper relationship with God.

Author : Max Cryer
Publisher : Exisle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1775592855
Total Pages : 192 pages
Book Rating : 4.53/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Superstitions written by Max Cryer and published by Exisle Publishing. This book was released on 2016-05-01 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Some people casually say ‘touch wood’ when they speak of something they hope will happen. Others won’t allow peacock feathers into the house. And almost anyone who finds a four-leafed clover will treasure it and keep it. Why? Some superstitions are so ancient and have been practised for so long that they have come to be regarded as just harmless and widely observed ‘customs’, without people realising they are basically superstitions. For instance, many people wouldn’t bother tossing spilled salt over their left shoulder or avoid walking under a ladder. But they happily continue to wear a wedding ring and blow out candles on a birthday cake. They don’t know why — ‘it’s just a custom’. But both are actually superstitions. In a book full of surprises and revelations, Max Cryer explains the origins of many of the things we commonly say and observe and why we continue to include them in our lives: kissing under the mistletoe, the unlucky number thirteen, the significance of the bridal bouquet, saying ‘bless you’ after sneezing, the hanging of a horseshoe, ‘the Scottish play’, the danger in opals, the Leap Year proposal … so many aspects of our lives are coloured by superstition. Now you can discover the reasons for them in a book that is both witty and informative. Superstitions will provide many ‘Eureka’ moments and settle many family disputes.

Author : Max Cryer
Publisher : Exisle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1921966017
Total Pages : 434 pages
Book Rating : 4.19/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Curious English Words and Phrases written by Max Cryer and published by Exisle Publishing. This book was released on 2015-03-10 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Have you ever wondered where terms like 'end of your tether', 'gets my goat' or 'letting ones hair down' come from? Or why we call some people 'geezers', 'sugar daddies' or 'lounge lizards'? Or where the words 'eavesdropping', 'nickname' and 'D-Day' come from? They are just a few of the many words and phrases that language expert Max Cryer examines in this fact-filled and fun new book. Max explains where these curious expressions come from, what they mean and how they are used. Along the way he tells a host of colourful anecdotes and dispels quite a few myths - Did Churchill originate the phrase 'black dog'? And if 'ivory tower' can be found in the Bible, why has its meaning changed so drastically? Curious English Words and Phrases is a treasure trove for lovers of language. Informative, amusing and value for money, this book is 'the real McCoy'. From 'couch potato' to 'Bob's your uncle', you'll find the explanation here!

Author : Max Cryer
Publisher : Exisle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1775594173
Total Pages : 248 pages
Book Rating : 4.78/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Godzone Dictionary written by Max Cryer and published by Exisle Publishing. This book was released on 2019-08-01 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Visitors to New Zealand are frequently surprised — and puzzled — by local terms and expressions. This concise A–Z dictionary, now updated in a new expanded edition, is a quick and easy reference to understanding the words and phrases that make the New Zealand language and speech patterns so different. Language expert Max Cryer not only provides helpful definitions for the various entries, but also sheds light on their origins. Slang words feature heavily, while a key feature of the book is the large number of Māori words that have become part of the common language over the years. Popular names of sports teams are also included, while an appendix of New Zealand acronyms completes the book. From Rotovegas to the Naki, both Kiwis and visitors to New Zealand will find the lingo of Godzone explained simply and accurately. Never stuffy or academic, Max Cryer brings his expert knowledge and dry wit to a book that is sure to become an essential reference. Sweet as!

Author : Hrisztalina Hrisztova-Gotthardt
Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
ISBN 13 : 3110456125
Total Pages : 382 pages
Book Rating : 4.27/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Introduction to Paremiology written by Hrisztalina Hrisztova-Gotthardt and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2015-12-14 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This handbook introduces key elements of the philological research area called paremiology (the study of proverbs). It presents the main subject area as well as the current status of paremiological research. The basic notions, among others, include defining proverbs, main proverb features, origin, collecting and categorization of proverbs. Each chapter is written by a leading scholar-specialist in their area of proverbial research. Since the book represents a measured balance between the popular and scientific approach, it is recommended to a wide readership including experienced and budding scholars, students of linguistics, as well as other professionals interested in the study of proverbs.

Author : Gene Wisniewski
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1538133733
Total Pages : 297 pages
Book Rating : 4.36/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Art of Looking at Art written by Gene Wisniewski and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2020-10-04 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A readable guide to the art of looking at art. There’s an art to viewing art. A sizable portion of the population regards art with varying degrees of reverence, bewilderment, suspicion, contempt, and intimidation. Most people aren’t sure what to do when standing before a work of art, besides gaze at it for what they hope is an acceptable amount of time, and even those who visit galleries and museums regularly aren’t always as well versed as they wish they could be. This book will help remedy that situation and answer many of the most frequently asked questions pertaining to the matter of art in general: When was the first art made? Who decides which art is “for the ages”? What is art’s purpose? How do paintings get to be worth tens of millions of dollars? Where do artists get their ideas? And perhaps the most pressing question of all, have human cadavers ever been used as art materials? (Yup.) The Art of Looking at Art addresses these and countless more of the issues surrounding this frequently misunderstood microcosm, in a highly informative, yet conversational tone. History, fascinating and altogether human backstories, and information pertaining to every conceivable aspect of visual art are interwoven in twelve concise chapters, providing all the information the average person needs to comfortably approach, analyze, and appreciate art. Readers with a background in art will learn a few new things as well. This beautiful full-color book includes 45 full-page reproductions.

Author : Max Cryer
Publisher : Exisle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1775592103
Total Pages : 214 pages
Book Rating : 4.05/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Cat's Out of the Bag written by Max Cryer and published by Exisle Publishing. This book was released on 2015 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From ancient times cats have occupied a special place in many cultures around the world. They have generated a fascinating array of words and expressions, as well as poems, books, movies, cartoons and artworks. Max Cryer celebrates cats and all they have given to us. Explores their attributes, night vision, sense of smell, sleep requirements, life expectancy and more. Everything you ever wanted to know about cats can be enjoyed in this magnificent miscellany. To be read with one on your lap.