Rating: 
Summary: What fun, chiasmus are everywhere!
Review: Dr. Grothe's book is a joy to read. He says in his book that it is written for the intellectually curious with an interest in words, language and quotations. If this definition comes even close to who you think you are, this book is for you. It is best read at a slow reflective pace like a fine wine or a good cup of tea. As Grothe quotes Brougham "It is well to read everything of something and something of everything." This book offers you something of everything in its completeness of categories and everything of something in its love of chiasmus. What a gem!!!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully complete and completely wonderful
Review: Dr. Grothe's book is a joy to read. He says in his book that it is written for the intellectually curious with an interest in words, language and quotations. If this definition comes even close to who you think you are, this book is for you. It is best read at a slow reflective pace like a fine wine or a good cup of tea. As Grothe quotes Brougham "It is well to read everything of something and something of everything." This book offers you something of everything in its completeness of categories and everything of something in its love of chiasmus. What a gem!!!
Rating:
Summary: For word lovers everywhere!
Review: Dr. Mardy Groethe not only introduced me to the literary deviceof chiasmus, but completely engaged and entertained me with his bookon the subject. The book is truly a joy! Dr. Groethe's chiasmi span from old to new, from light to meaningful, from humorous to serious. He shows how chiasmus are used by everyone: from poets to politicians, from writers to actors, from coaches to philosophers. Adding to the book is how Dr. Groethe organizes it, essentially enabling the reader to find a chiasmus for any occasion. It's no surprise to me that "Never Let A Fool Kiss You..." is the 8th best-selling quotation book in amazon.com's history (as of 1/10/00) and going strong! A new lover of chiasmus, I visited Dr. Groethe's website immediately after reading his book and signed up to receive free daily chiastic quotes directly from him!
Rating:
Summary: For word lovers everywhere!
Review: Dr. Mardy Groethe not only introduced me to the literary deviceof chiasmus, but completely engaged and entertained me with his bookon the subject. The book is truly a joy! Dr. Groethe's chiasmi span from old to new, from light to meaningful, from humorous to serious. He shows how chiasmus are used by everyone: from poets to politicians, from writers to actors, from coaches to philosophers. Adding to the book is how Dr. Groethe organizes it, essentially enabling the reader to find a chiasmus for any occasion. It's no surprise to me that "Never Let A Fool Kiss You..." is the 8th best-selling quotation book in amazon.com's history (as of 1/10/00) and going strong! A new lover of chiasmus, I visited Dr. Groethe's website immediately after reading his book and signed up to receive free daily chiastic quotes directly from him!
Rating:
Summary: Chiasmus = Absolute Truth ?
Review: For the nutshell skip down to ---THE POINT---. If you like to get lost in circular reasoning, by all means read the whole thing. Just be patient if you do; it may seem as if I've gone off on a tangent, but I promise to come full circle. In order to deal with story problems we are taught that mathematical functions have lingual transitions. An example of this is would be: = means "as", and 2 = terms are said to be "like". As with translations between any two languages inevitably something is lost in the transition. In this instance we see that while = means "as" or "like", neither "as" nor "like" means =. In grammar we are taught that "as" and "like" are keywords for simile (which means comparison, from the Latin "similis" meaning similar). Which leads to the next issue; Do the laws of mathematics have a lingual transition? One of the most fundamental laws of math is: A x B = B x A; which would read: the product of A and B is like the product of B and A. While porcelain is the product of heat and clay, the product of heat and clay is not always like porcelain. The heat and the clay must have the same value in order for the comparison to work. I have never learned the English translation for the absolute value sign used in mathematical formulas, but I would imagine it would be "chiastic". Chiasmus seems to imply in its mathematical similarity that it is a capable vehicle for absolute truths. Certainly this book is an insight into truth, or this book is truth into insight, or maybe this truth is a book into insight, perhaps this insight is a book into truth, possibly this insight is truth into a book, or it could be that this truth is insight into a book. I seem to have gotten even myself confused. Lao-Tzu wrote that "He who talks does not know, he who knows does not talk", he also wrote that "The Way of which we are able to speak, is not the Way of which we speak". So why all the words if they are all in vain? The Buddhists have an insightful metaphor (defined by Aristotle as: The intuitive perception of the similarity in dissimilars) for the reason for words despite their futility "fingers pointing at the moon" (the moon symbolizing enlightenment in Buddhism). ------THE POINT?------ Simply that this is a much better book, than this is a review. Dr. Grothe's fingers apparently do a much better job at pointing to the moon than do mine. Where my words have led you deep into the murky waters of samsara, his become the Jewel in the lotus and the lotus in the Jewel. I hope I haven't driven you away from what truly is an inspired book. *** P.S. Sorry Mardy, I had to, Jer.1:7
Rating:
Summary: Chiasmus = Absolute Truth ?
Review: For the nutshell skip down to ---THE POINT---. If you like to get lost in circular reasoning, by all means read the whole thing. Just be patient if you do; it may seem as if I've gone off on a tangent, but I promise to come full circle. In order to deal with story problems we are taught that mathematical functions have lingual transitions. An example of this is would be: = means "as", and 2 = terms are said to be "like". As with translations between any two languages inevitably something is lost in the transition. In this instance we see that while = means "as" or "like", neither "as" nor "like" means =. In grammar we are taught that "as" and "like" are keywords for simile (which means comparison, from the Latin "similis" meaning similar). Which leads to the next issue; Do the laws of mathematics have a lingual transition? One of the most fundamental laws of math is: A x B = B x A; which would read: the product of A and B is like the product of B and A. While porcelain is the product of heat and clay, the product of heat and clay is not always like porcelain. The heat and the clay must have the same value in order for the comparison to work. I have never learned the English translation for the absolute value sign used in mathematical formulas, but I would imagine it would be "chiastic". Chiasmus seems to imply in its mathematical similarity that it is a capable vehicle for absolute truths. Certainly this book is an insight into truth, or this book is truth into insight, or maybe this truth is a book into insight, perhaps this insight is a book into truth, possibly this insight is truth into a book, or it could be that this truth is insight into a book. I seem to have gotten even myself confused. Lao-Tzu wrote that "He who talks does not know, he who knows does not talk", he also wrote that "The Way of which we are able to speak, is not the Way of which we speak". So why all the words if they are all in vain? The Buddhists have an insightful metaphor (defined by Aristotle as: The intuitive perception of the similarity in dissimilars) for the reason for words despite their futility "fingers pointing at the moon" (the moon symbolizing enlightenment in Buddhism). ------THE POINT?------ Simply that this is a much better book, than this is a review. Dr. Grothe's fingers apparently do a much better job at pointing to the moon than do mine. Where my words have led you deep into the murky waters of samsara, his become the Jewel in the lotus and the lotus in the Jewel. I hope I haven't driven you away from what truly is an inspired book. *** P.S. Sorry Mardy, I had to, Jer.1:7
Rating:
Summary: Hemingway Lovers Stand At Attention
Review: I am a scholar and avid fan of Ernest Hemingway. Only after devouring Dr. Mardy's Grothe groundbreaking collection of literary treasures did I realize that Hemingway too employs the chiastic trick in much of his writing. Dr. Grothe's book inspired me to reread many of the author's literary masterpieces as well as his letters and interviews. Sure enough, I found chiasmus popping up here and there in Hemingway's written and spoken statements. I was truly dumbfounded that the author used the technique so frequently. "Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You" is an enlightening, expertly selected goldmine of profound insights and immortal truths that is sure to have a significant impact on the way each of us views and uses language. It even prompted me to pen my own chiastic observation in regards to the recent Hemingway centennial: 'Only in the case of Hemingway could the century of the writer be more celebrated than the most celebrated writer of this century.
Rating:
Summary: A really interesting read - fun to make up your own!
Review: I consider myself fairly intelligent, yet had never heard of a chiasmus. When I learned of them through this book, you can't imagine the fun I had trying to create them commuting to and from work. I imagine I will someday be able to start presentations with quotes that I made up that fell into this category - which isn't conceit, but rather thanks to the author for writing this book.
Rating:
Summary: An Invitation to a Feast: The World of the Chiasmus
Review: There are books that you can really get into, and there are books that really get into you. Dr. Mardy Grothe's "Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You" is one of the latter. It is a book to be savored like a hearty soup. If you encounter the book or the wonderful web site chiasmus.com as I did, you will come in the door not knowing what a "chiasmus" is, and afterwards you will find examples everywhere. You will even start making them up. There are books one reads for information and others one reads for pleasure. This book is wonderfully informative. As for pleasure, that word is too bland to describe the delights in store for the reader. The knowledge of chiasmus will expand and stretch you, helping you see things you never saw before and challenging you to think in ways you've never thought before. God bless you, Mardy Grothe, for the gift of this book!
Rating:
Summary: An Invitation to a Feast: The World of the Chiasmus
Review: There are books that you can really get into, and there are books that really get into you. Dr. Mardy Grothe's "Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You" is one of the latter. It is a book to be savored like a hearty soup. If you encounter the book or the wonderful web site chiasmus.com as I did, you will come in the door not knowing what a "chiasmus" is, and afterwards you will find examples everywhere. You will even start making them up. There are books one reads for information and others one reads for pleasure. This book is wonderfully informative. As for pleasure, that word is too bland to describe the delights in store for the reader. The knowledge of chiasmus will expand and stretch you, helping you see things you never saw before and challenging you to think in ways you've never thought before. God bless you, Mardy Grothe, for the gift of this book!
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