Author(s): Mardy Grothe

NZ non-fiction

Never let 'em see you sweat. Never bring a knife to a gun fight. Never underestimate the power of a woman. Never trust someone who tells you to never trust someone. Quotation anthologist Dr. Mardy Grothe has coined the term neverisms for emphatic warnings about things people should never do. Neverisms go by many other terms: admonitions, cautionary warnings, rules of living, negative persuasion (or dissuasion) and dehortation (the opposite of exhortation). All are related to a classical figure of speech called dehortatio, dissuasive advice given with authority. "Neverisms" are among history's most fascinating quotations, and Grothe has assembled nearly 2,000 of them, organizing them into eighteen chapters on such topics as sex, marriage, sports, politics, business, stage and screen, and the literary life. In this new collection, the bestselling author also tells the backstories behind some of history's best-known pieces of advice. "Neverisms" is sure to make a delightful gift for quotation lovers and language aficionados.