the wit and wisdom of mark twain

why i wanted to read it: because it's a teeny tiny book. one of those little gift books you see on the spinner racks while standing in line to make a purchase. because i'm on a quest for good sentiment.

what i liked: a southerner talks like music (from life on the mississippi).

shut the door. not that it lets in the cold, but that it lets out the cozyness (from notebook).

training is everything. the peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education (from pudd'nhead wilson's calendar).

"classic." a book which people praise and don't read (from pudd'nhead wilson's new calendar).

you can find in a text whatever you bring if you will stand between it and the mirror of your imagination. you may not see your ears, but they are there (from "a fable").

thunder is good. thunder is impressive. but it is lightning that does the work (from a letter to an unidentified person [1908]). 

we should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it--and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. she will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again--and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore (from pudd'nhead wilson's new calendar).

against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand (from the mysterious stranger).

what sucked: nothing really. for little bitty gift books, i kind of liked this one. and that says quite a bit, because usually, i think they're pretty stupid.

having said all that: it's not a bad one to give, if you can find it (it's been in my mother's shoebox of sentiments for i don't know how long). but here's the isbn if you want to try to locate it: 0-89471-984-x.