“Honesty is the best policy.” “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” “Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.” These familiar sayings have become part of our collective memory and embody the values we hold in common – but where did they come from? With his obsessive curiosity and relentless detectives skills, Charles Panati tracks the origins of gems of folk wisdom that have found their way into American culture. From far-ranging sources – Aesop to the Bible, Ben Franklin to Broadway – “Words To Live By” maps the diverse streams that have flowed together into the rich traditions of popular wisdom and commonsense. As usual, Charles Panati makes the journey seriously informative, endlessly entertaining, and full of surprises.

About the Author:
Charles Panati is a physicist and former Science Editor of Newsweek. He has written fourteen books, both fiction and nonfiction. He has appeared on Oprah, Letterman, and many other shows. One of his origins books was the basis for the hit television show “The Start of Something Big,” hosted by comedian Steven Allen, and written by Panati

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From Library Journal

Another in Panati's series of books on origins (e.g., Sacred Origins of Profound Things, LJ 12/96), this text identifies the sources of pithy maxims such as "the devil made me do it" or "no pain no gain." Panati's choice of sources is eclectic, including the Bible and the Declaration of Independence as well as the words of cartoonists, songwriters, and comedians. Quotes are arranged topically in chapters with subject headings such as "Responsibility and Self-Respect." Entries include the maxim, its original source, an interpretation of its meaning, and a history of its development. Chapters typically include a definition of the chapter topic and collections of quotes on the subject by notable people, e.g., "American Presidents on Freedom." An entertaining browser; recommended for public and academic libraries where there is interest in the topic.AShana C. Fair, Ohio Univ. Lib., Zanesville
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