Women's Wit and Wisdom: A Book of Quotations

"Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact," said Mary Ann Evans, a.k.a. George Eliot. "In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show more affection than she feels," opined Jane Austen. "When a girl marries, she exchanges the attentions of many men for the inattention of one," observed Helen Rowland. These are just a few of more than 400 memorable quotes in this volume, expressed over the past 2,500 years by female poets, novelists, historical figures, celebrities, entertainers, and others. Covering a broad range of topics — men, women, love and romance, marriage, family, human nature, aging, the quest for gender equality, work and occupations, joy and sorrow, nature, the environment, and more — the quotations are divided into subject categories and arranged chronologically by the author's date of birth. Where possible, sources and dates are cited for each quote. Browse through these pages and immerse yourself in snippets of worldly wisdom from the poignant ("The loneliest woman in the world is a woman without a close woman friend" — Toni Morrison) to the despairing ("Old age is woman's hell" — Ninon de Lenclos) to the politically astute ("Do not tell secrets to those whose faith and silence you have not already tested" — Queen Elizabeth I) to the humorous ("Flops are a part of life's menu, and I've never been a girl to miss out on any of the courses" — Rosalind Russell). You'll also find food for thought from Sappho, Madame de Stael, Harriet Tubman, Margaret Sanger, Eleanor Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Erma Bombeck, Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, among others. Brimming with timeless observations, humor, and wisdom, this practical and entertaining little volume will be indispensable to public speakers and a delight to general readers.