Product Description

What do Mae West, John F. Kennedy, Victor Hugo, and H. L. Mencken have in common? They all indulged in chiasmus-a literary device in which word order is reversed to hilarious or poignant effect. When Mae West said, "It's not the men in my life, it's the life in my men," she was using chiasmus; when John F. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," he was doing the same. Dr. Mardy Grothe has compiled hundreds of examples of chiasmus in this whimsically illustrated collection, bringing this witty and thought-provoking device out of obscurity and into the public imagination.

"There is plenty of delight in this overdue collection." (Houston Chronicle)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #254865 in Books
• Published on: 2002-02-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Amazon.com Review
When John F. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," he wasn't just stirring the hearts of millions of young Americans, he was also engaging in a little-known form of wordplay called chiasmus. Dr. Mardy Grothe has plumbed the depths of this form for years and catalogued hundreds of examples from ancient times to the present, in Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You (title courtesy of Joey Adams). All it takes is a repeated statement with two elements transposed between them--e.g., fool and kiss--and you get a powerful, often humorous, rhetorical prop. Collected in chapters like "Chiasmus for Lovers" and "Chiastic Compliments and Insults," the wisdom of the ages shines in gems such as Cicero's "It is as difficult for the good to suspect evil as it is for the evil to suspect good." Even better is Grothe's running commentary on the form and its masters and the often-biting humor found in the classics, for instance Dr. Johnson's "Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good." Fortunately for us, the good doctor wasn't referring to Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You, which is as fun to read as a reference as it is to refer to a reader. --Rob Lightner

About the Author
Mardy Grothe, Ph.D, is a psychologist, marriage counselor, and management consultant. Co-author of three books, he has been extensively interviewed on radio and television on topics from problem bosses to the art of the insult.

Customer Reviews

For word lovers everywhere!
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!

NEVER KISS A FOOL OR LET A KISS FOOL YOU
What a great little book. If you like wordplay, philosphy, history and pop culture, you'll love reading chiamus quotes from then and now. Chiasmus stretchs and delights the mind. I bought the book as a guide to my teenage daughter...you know...for the kissing part, but it has also become a delightful source of information as well as entertainment. We have fun trying to make up our own chiasmus lines. If you subscribe to Grothe's weekly Chiasmic Quotes...you'll discover a new puzzle and antedote. It always gives a moment of thought or mirth; giving new pleasure to the announcement to 'you've got mail'.

An Invitation to a Feast: The World of the Chiasmus
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!