Book Description

This book of parodied proverbs represents the first collection of such twisted or anti-proverbs in the English language. It contains over 3,000 texts based on 320 traditional Anglo-American proverbs. The twisted proverbs were located in dozens of books and articles on puns, one-liners, toasts, quotations, aphorisms, and graffiti. Many examples are also based on advertisements, caricatures, cartoons, comic strips, and headlines from magazines and newspapers. About 75 illustrations from the mass media are also included. While many of these humorous texts are based on mere puns and wordplay, there are also numerous satirical anti-proverbs that contain revealing social comments: Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow they may recall your credit card. Marry in haste, and pay alimony at leisure. Taste makes waist. A split personality is the only case where two can live as cheaply as one. All work and no play makes you a valued employee. Where there's a will there's a loophole. The lawyer agrees with the doctor that the best things in life are fees. A condom is the mother of all prevention. Do unto others before they do unto you. Take care of your character and your reputation will take care of itself. If at first you don't succeed, you are fired.