Dictionary of Cliches

This is one of those books that you browse through on occasion, looking for the morsel of knowledge that will be interesting without necessarily being valuable. Like it or not, the cliche is a fundamental part of human communication and while they are often reasonably literal at times they are not. While frowned upon in written communication, at times nothing is more appropriate than a cliche to make the point in an indirect or humorous way. Furthermore, the origins of many cliches are interesting in their own way and those facts are also included in this book.
In conclusion, this is a book that can be read, scanned, skimmed or just randomly read. Whichever tactic you choose, it will be your "cup of tea."

Really this book needs some vitamins. It's suitable for high school students, if that, and not much more despite it's clever cover.

this book of cliches was too light in content. the ones that were in there pretty obvious. this is the type of rag i would expect to find at the walgreens bookshelf.

I guess I expected more 'informative' information about the origin of such phrases rather than just how each phrase was typically used. I assumed we all would know what 'to heave a sign of relief' meant, but I was curious how it came about. His explanations are mainly research of the first time the phrase might have been recorded or used. All in all I was a bit disappointed but it's my fault. I should have purchased a book intending to give the origin of use not just a dictionary. But I do think it covers most cliches.

James Rogers' `The Book of Clichés' makes for some curiously interesting reading. You don't have to be a wordsmith or etymologist to appreciate the many clichés and their even more curious beginnings. James Rogers' `Clichés' brings the past to the present in a very easy-to-read reference book for anyone who's the cream of the crop, fair to middling, or going along for the ride. This book it's the nail on the head when it comes to clichés.