Product Description

ox-y-mor-on-i-ca (OK-se-mor-ON-uh-ca) noun, plural: Any variety of tantalizing, self-contradictory statements or observations that on the surface appear false or illogical, but at a deeper level are true, often profoundly true. See also oxymoron, paradox.

examples:

"Melancholy is the pleasure of being sad."
Victor Hugo

"To lead the people, walk behind them."
Lao-tzu

"You'd be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap."
Dolly Parton

You won't find the word "oxymoronica" in any dictionary (at least not yet) because Dr. Mardy Grothe introduces it to readers in this delightful collection of 1,400 of the most provocative quotations of all time. From ancient thinkers like Confucius, Aristotle, and Saint Augustine to great writers like Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and G. B. Shaw to modern social observers like Woody Allen and Lily Tomlin, Oxymoronica celebrates the power and beauty of paradoxical thinking. All areas of human activity are explored, including love, sex and romance, politics, the arts, the literary life, and, of course, marriage and family life. The wise and witty observations in this book are as highly entertaining as they are intellectually nourishing and are sure to grab the attention of language lovers everywhere.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26563 in Books
• Published on: 2004-03
• Released on: 2004-03-02
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Coining the titular word to describe quotations that contain seemingly self-contradictory elements, psychologist and amateur wordsmith Grothe (Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You) gathers hundreds of examples—ancient, modern and everything in between—of such sayings. From Confucius's "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's own ignorance" to Yogi Berra's "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded" to Adrienne Rich's "Marriage is lonelier than solitude," these bon mots offer pithy insights and sometimes clever advice. Grothe's 14 chapters group the quotations by theme; in "Sex, Love, and Romance," for example, Louise Colet advises readers to "Doubt the man who swears to his devotion," while in "Oxymoronic Insults (and a Few Compliments)," Henry James reflects that George Eliot is "magnificently ugly…. in this vast ugliness resides a most powerful beauty which, in a very few minutes, steals forth and charms the mind." Potentially useful to public speakers and certainly bound to amuse word mavens, Grothe's collection is good clean fun—with a bit of an edge: the last section offers "Inadvertent Oxymoronica," in which George W. Bush is quoted as saying "One of the common denominators I have found is that expectations rise above that which is expected."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School–Grothe is an inveterate collector of words and phrases. He is especially fond of paradoxical sayings, "ideas stood on their heads." He has been gathering such seemingly contradictory quotations as Carrie Fisher's "Instant gratification takes too long" or Yogi Berra's pithy "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded" for years. For him, these sayings are like oxymorons but with more depth. Thus, he coined the term, "Oxymoronica, n.; A compilation of self-contradictory terms, phrases, or quotations; examples of oxymoronica appear illogical or nonsensical at first, but upon reflection, make a good deal of sense and are often profoundly true." This book is an assemblage of his collection divided into 14 chapters ranging widely in subject and author from wit and wisdom through love and sex to insults, written by Ovid through Oscar Wilde to George W. Bush, with many thought-provoking stops in between. The collection can be dipped into frequently and offers much to think about upon first, second, or third readings. It will be useful for public speakers, debate classes, English assignments, and essays. There is an index of authors and broad topics, though finding a specific quote might prove challenging. There's even a Web site to submit new ideas or to join a discussion with like-minded devotees. The whole collection might be summed up by Berra, "I didn't say everything I said." Lots of fun and much to ponder.–Susan H. Woodcock, Fairfax County Public Library, Chantilly, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Dr. Mardy Grothe is a psychologist, management consultant, and platform speaker. He received his Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University. The author of Oxymoronica, Viva la Repartee, and Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You, he is a popular speaker at the annual conventions of trade and professional associations. He has also been interviewed extensively on radio and television on topics ranging from problem bosses to the art of repartee. He lives with his wife Katherine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Good Fun & Great Resource
Some books are just fun. You pick them up knowing it will put a smile on your face and you leave it down with that smile on your face.
Oxymoronica (Is this a moronic title?) is one of those books.

It is difficult to write a lengthy review about this book because it would basically entail repeating many of the wonderful quotes which the author has sourced (and he does source and credit them very well.)

The oxymorons range through humor, the human condition, politics, advice and other concepts. I would encourage you to ignore the oxymoronic advice of George Bernard Shaw quoted in this book - "Never take anybody's advice," and read this book.

It is a genuine little gem

Please, don't write between the lines
This book contains many fine entries by people other than the author, "Dr." Mardy Grothe. Many of them are not `opposite' or `contradictory' enough to fit in, and are less interesting than the ones that do belong.

The problem with the book is the many comments by the author, which at their best are not necessary. His day job evidently involves some sort of counseling. Perhaps this line of work leads him to expect that people require explanations. For whatever reason, he provides his readers, or rather the readers of his selections, with plenty of explanations. He tells us what it is about contradictory statements that makes them contradictory, or whatever else we might need to understand these otherwise entertaining quotations. He even tells us why some of them are funny. Like most people who `explain' what it is about a joke that makes it funny, he's not very funny, and neither is the joke when he is finished with it. No doubt you have heard the term, "firm grasp on the obvious."

Do I dare provide a quote from this mischief? Well, ok. From the Introduction:

Oxymoronica?" [sic] you might be thinking, "What's that?" While you surely know what an oxymoron is, oxymoronica is probably a new word to you. You won't find it in any dictionary (at least not yet) because I came up with it only a few years ago. In coining oxymoronica, I was inspired by words you may know . . . I use the word oxymoronica to describe quotations that contain incompatible or incongruous elements. Many examples of oxymoronica appear illogical or self-contradictory on the surface. But at a deeper level, they usually make a great deal of sense and are often profoundly true.

By leaving out the marginally appropriate quotations and ALL of "Doctor" Grothe's comments, this book could be reduced to half its size, and be considerably improved.

a thoughtful gift
less valuable for its editorializing, but priceless for its compilation of puzzling truths about what makes us human. Bravo to the editor for this gem. I bought twenty copies to give as gifts ..there's something revealing for everyone from every generation.