Overview

This volume brings together quotations crucial to a picture of the 20th century, offering the reader an overview of the social, political, cultural, and scientific concerns of succeeding decades. It concentrates on writers who were alive in or after 1914, taking the outbreak of the First World War as the cultural watershed of the century. Quotations come from the written word, in plays poetry, novels, and speeches, and more latterly from soundbites, online sources, films, television, and advertisements. Coverage includes N. America and Europe, as well as the UK and Ireland. Quotations are organized by author, and include a brief description of each author, with context and source notes provided as necessary. There are also twelve thematic categories within the alphabetical sequence for quotations which are either anonymous or are not primarily recognized by their author: advertising slogans, catch-phrases, epitaphs, film lines, film titles, last words, misquotations, newspaper headlines and leaders, official advice, political slogans, sayings and slogans, and telegrams. A browsable thematic index allows a selection of quotations on a particular subject to be traced, with topics ranging from fashion, food and drink, and art to politics, science and technology, and sport.

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9780198662501

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A very conservative selection, yet striving to look up to date: saying something about Princess Diana seems to have been the easiest way to get included. Tony Blair is one of the few quotees born in the second half of the century. There are more quotations from Harold Wilson than Andy Warhol, and only two from Quentin Crisp. Lines from films have been gathered in a box (with cross-references in strategic places); advertising slogans, catch phrases and such also get the box treatment. In all, some 5000 quotations, mainly but not exclusively from English-langauge sources. There's a thematic index as well as a keyword index. (Kirkus UK)

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