From Hank Aaron to King Zog, from Mao to Madonna, Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes is a collection of more than 4,000 entries and the best source for anecdotes on the market. Featuring more than 2,000 people past and present from around the world, in all fields of endeavor, these short anecdotes provide remarkable insights into the human character. Ranging from the humorous to the solemn, they span ancient history, recent politics, modern science, and the arts. Each entry includes a brief biography followed by one or more notable, lively, and insightful anecdotes, which always deliver a punch of the unexpected.

Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes features:

• More than 4,000 entries arranged alphabetically
• a complete list of sources for every entry
• a full bibliography
• an index of names
• an easy-to-use subject index, for finding anecdotes under a particular topic

Anecdotes entertain, highlight history, and reveal character. William Ellery Channing even claimed, "One anecdote of a man is worth a volume of biography." A good collection of anecdotes shows just how diverse the minds of men and women can be. General Editors Clifton Fadiman and André Bernard have assembled the definitive anthology of anecdotes -- a gold mine for students, a great resource for public speakers, and a bookshelf necessity for the curious browser. Thoroughly researched and conveniently organized, Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes conducts the reader on an informal tour through history and human nature at their most entertaining and instructive.