Preposterous Proverbs Why Fine Words Butter No Parsnips Max Cryer by Max Cryer B005LVX9EM instant download after payment.

Proverbs ... we've all grown up with them and we probably repeat them without much thought. Yes, 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' and 'absence makes the heart grow fonder', but these sayings have almost become clichés – and it is the same in every country and culture. Such 'pearls of wisdom' play a key role in the moral guidance of societies everywhere. Sometimes the wisdom is distinctly odd, sometimes it has become outdated and sometimes it is simply contradictory. After all, do 'many hands make light work' or do 'too many cooks spoil the broth'? You can't really have it both ways. In 'Preposterous Proverbs', language expert Max Cryer looks at a vast array of proverbs from around the world on subjects ranging from birth, food, women and love to money, animals, sin and death. He has chosen some of the most interesting and perplexing, and analyses their meaning and truth with his characteristic wry wit. A great book to dip into, 'Preposterous Proverbs' will...