A Review of Forbes' "Thoughts on the Business of Life"
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Published June 26, 2022
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A Review of Forbes' Scrapbook of Thoughts on the Business of Life
- Reviews of the Day: 1950–51
- Interesting Quotes from Thoughts on the Business of Life
- This Author’s Perceptions of Thoughts on the Business of Life
Reviews of the Day: 1950–51
Since this was a collection of quotes and witticisms of individuals down through the ages, I did not expect to find many reviews, but there were a few.
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“The quotations of both AFL presidents included in the book are timely [only this quote of Samuel Gompers is provided here]: ‘One fact stands out in bold relief in the history of man’s attempts for betterment. That is that when compulsion is used, only resentment is aroused, and the end is not gained. … Only through moral persuasion and appeal to man’s reason can a movement succeed.’ ”
Union Labor Record, November 23, 1950
“This is a scrapbook of more than 3,000 quotations from the world’s most brilliant minds, as printed in Forbes Magazine twice each month for thirty-three years. … There’s food for thought on every one of the 544 pages.”
E. D. Lambright, “Books and Bookmen,” The Tampa Sunday Tribune, 1951
“If you are one of those who like the wisdom of the ages in capsule form, you will enjoy this book. You get, in succinct form, the thoughts of men and women who said what needed saying, right to the point.”
The Dayton Daily News, “Reviews in Brief,” February 1951
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One of the funniest reviews is what appeared to be a satirical/updated publication of “thoughts on the business of life” that one department’s manager felt was applicable to them … but left out of this book:
"Nothing is ever accomplished by a committee unless it consists of three members, one of whom happens to be sick and the other absent."
Partners
"I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives; and so live that the place will be proud of him."
Abraham Lincoln
"Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."
Chinese Proverb
Interesting Quotes from Thoughts on the Business of Life
These are quotes that I discovered that would have met B. C. Forbes’ criteria from his introduction: inspire broad sympathies, charity towards all, and a philosophical mode of life.
“It is less important to redistribute wealth than it is to redistribute opportunity.”
Arthur H. Vandenberg
“Ridicule, the weapon of all others most feared by enthusiasts of every description, and which from its predominance over such minds, often checks what is absurd … and fully as often smothers that which is noble.”
Walter Scott
“There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it behooves all of us not to talk about the rest of us.”
Robert Louis Stevenson
“A good name, like good will, is got by many actions and lost by one.”
Lord Jeffrey
“Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others.”
William Allen White
This Author’s Perceptions of Thoughts on the Business of Life
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This is a short of review.
This book is best left on the nightstand and read in short bursts over a long period of time. It is an excellent collection of quotes covering a wide range of topics (see a list of the top subjects below). I recommend browsing slowly, over a long period of time, and when in a reflective mood and unhurried by the necessities of life. This book was first published in 1950 and it appears you may have one of the original publications if it lacks a preface by Malcom Forbes, B. C. Forbes son. Otherwise, it was probably published later—after B. C. Forbes death in 1954, and possibly separated from a three-volume set as pictured to the right. |
It also appears that publications after 1950 (1967, 1968 and 1976) included two indexes for the reader: an author index and a subject index. This is invaluable if the reader doesn’t have an electronic version that can be searched.
It was interesting to me to see what quotes appealed most to Mr. Forbes by looking in the subject index, counting the number of times a particular topic was mentioned, and then listing them in order. Maybe you will find this as interesting as I did. It is another indication that maybe B. C. Forbes achieved his goal as the topics at the top of the list were: Life, Thinking, God, Happiness, Work, Success, Mind, Character, Education, Faith and Truth. Notably, towards the bottom of this list were: Power, Wealth and Capital.
There will be no reviews published on this website on Volumes II and III. I am sure it is more of the same, but if not and something proves memorable or distinctive within the other two volumes, I will update this review.
Cheers,
- Peter E.
It was interesting to me to see what quotes appealed most to Mr. Forbes by looking in the subject index, counting the number of times a particular topic was mentioned, and then listing them in order. Maybe you will find this as interesting as I did. It is another indication that maybe B. C. Forbes achieved his goal as the topics at the top of the list were: Life, Thinking, God, Happiness, Work, Success, Mind, Character, Education, Faith and Truth. Notably, towards the bottom of this list were: Power, Wealth and Capital.
There will be no reviews published on this website on Volumes II and III. I am sure it is more of the same, but if not and something proves memorable or distinctive within the other two volumes, I will update this review.
Cheers,
- Peter E.
Here are the top subjects sorted by the number of times they are listed in the subject index.
