Toasts: Over 1,500 of the Best Toasts, Sentiments, Blessings, and Graces

by Paul Dickson

Book Overview

For anyone who will ever face a sea of expectantly raised glasses, or anyone who is fascinated by words and word-play, this rich compendium of toasts for every occasion will prove as entertaining as it is useful. The best toasts ever proclaimed (and a few of the worst), funny and sentimental toasts, cynical and heartfelt toasts, old-fashioned and contemporary toasts, justly famous and unjustly forgotten toasts ... they're all here in the latest compilation...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517584123
• ISBN13: 9780517584125
• Release Date: November 1991
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

Better than we hoped

The book we ordered was listed as "almost new." When it arrived it was pristine except for a gift salutation on the flyleaf. We were very pleased.

Do you know the Bishop of Norwich?

In an age when some of us fear the loss of gentility, Toasts reminds that there are those who still covet proper comportment. Toasts provided me the perfect words to use at my parents' 50th anniversary, and I use it routinely as a reference prior to business dinners and other gatherings where I know I'll be called upon for the honors.

"One sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits . . ."

This is a fantastic resource, the best single source on toasting which I have ever come across. The introduction and "Brief History of Raised Glasses" provides a brief, gentle, and highly useful education so that you can oh so suavely back up immediately any question or challenge to the quote you've chosen from this cornucopia of highly organized toasts for just about any occasion imaginable.The illustrations are superfluous, but the footnotes are very, very useful. At first glance a bit pedantic, they allow the user of the toast to speak (and understand) the traditional language, such as "stook," "murphies," and "banns." The different subject areas, plainly intuitive, and listed alphabetically in the table of contents include such further instructive chapters as "Hints for Effective Toasting," "Odd Customs," a "Selected Toast and Tipple Glossary," and "Skoaling." The different subject areas are also modestly cross-referenced to each other, such as the entry "see also 'friendship;' 'general;' 'guests'" concluding the "Hosts and Hostesses" section. There is also a useful bibliography.What is missing and would have completed the book would be an index. This is my only complaint with this superb, and in my case oft-used little reference.

Useful, entertaining and complete with just enough history.

I bartended (part time) for years and heard a lot of toasts, but no one could explain the origin of toasting. A customer bought me this book and all my questions were answered.The text is simple and easy to follow. If you are looking for a toast for a particular situation, just go to the category index in the front pages and thumb your way through.You will laugh, you will learn, you may even get a little grossed out. But all in all, if you love history and you entertain or like to be the life of the party, this is a great buy. I recommend it highly.