An Apple a Day: Old-Fashioned Proverbs –Timeless Words to Live By is not really a book you read like a novel so I put the volume in my “office” and read a couple of entries as I was able. As you might imagine, reading it in this way took awhile which is why I am reviewing it months after it was published.
Here is the publishers description:
From Old Testament proverbs to modern phrases like “the best things in life are free,” An Apple a Day takes a fun look at expressions that “have stood the test of time.” Read through from start to finish or search through the list of hundreds of the most common proverbs, arranged from A to Z for easy reference. You’ll learn about each proverb’s surprising origins, why some are valid and others are not, the derivation and meanings behind them, and their relevance in today’s society.
My take? This is another fun addition to this series from Readers Digest. It happens to be more entertainment that reference material however. Sure, Taggart often gives insight and information into the sources and development of the proverbs, phrases and aphorisms listed but more often she offers her own commentary and witticisms. You get a sense of the development of proverbs and how the culture and time influence both the wording and the perspective. Rather than a technical resource this feels like a miscellany type meditation on the subject.
But nevertheless it is an interesting tour through some of the more famous proverbs and how we might use, understand and discuss them today. You come away with a sense of the role these types of phrases play in out language and conversations. Wordsmiths and literature lovers would enjoy this one.
