Favourite Wisdom [antikvár]

Foreword Anyone who knows Favourite Prayers (Continuum, 1998) compiled by Deborah Cassidi will be eagerly anticipating this new collection of Favourite Wisdom. In an age swamped by myriad electronic communication, wisdom can seem to have a rather archaic image, even if on the quiet we are all looking for it. The contributors from many walks of life have chosen a broad kaleidoscope of wise sayings, poetry and humour. Sometimes you turn the page and there is one of your own favourites which has supported you through anxiety, grief or decision, and then on the next page there is a totally new thought which is good to explore. Many of the selections have a fascinating context, which further illuminates the saying. Sir Michael Palliser quotes Dietrich Bon-hoeffer who was hanged in Flossenberg concentration camp on 9 April 1945. Sir Michael adds, 'I spent that day in my tank advancing along the north German plain shortly before the German capitulation - it was my 23rd birthday.' Sometimes it is wisdom passed on by a parent, teacher or friend and treasured from childhood. Sometimes it is drawn from that essential ingredient of the good life -positive humour. I like Michael Brearley's choice, 'Don't just do something, stand there!' Maeve Binchy's anonymous poem rings an alarm-bell with me, and it was a treat to see Lord Runcie's comment, 'The Church is like a swimming pool; the splashing goes on at the shallow end.' (Not just the Church?) I also enjoyed learning from the choices of other celebrities - such as Gary Lineker's 'Circumstances do not determine a man, they reveal him.' There are treasures of faith from many sources. The overall experience is an affirmation of goodness, an incentive to battle on against adversity