gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 14/05/2026Looking for some words of wit and wisdom during these trying times? “Choose not to be outraged today.” @kevinkelly.bsky.social Come hear some more at #ILFD this Sunday at 5pm! @ilfdublin.bsky.social 011
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialThe University of Chicago Press @uchicagopress.bsky.social · 13/05/2026Next week, @gearyjames.bsky.social joins John Connell and Gary Quinn at the @ilfdublin.bsky.social to discuss his book, THE WORLD IN A PHRASE. Details: buff.ly/vFue1sP #ILFD 022
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 12/05/2026Looking for some words of wit and wisdom during these trying times? “If the future had known what lay ahead, it would never have arrived.” — Urszula Zybura Come hear some more at #ILFD this Sunday at 5pm! @ilfdublin.bsky.social 011
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 08/05/2026"An aphorism can show us how much a single sentence might contain.” @karlwhitney.ie in @irishexaminer.bsky.social Discover the art of the aphorism at It’s Just A Phrase You’re Going Through at the @ilfdublin.bsky.social on May 17 at 5pm! #ILFD 032
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 07/05/2026Looking for an aphorism about farming? the climate crisis? How about, "Nature to be commanded must be obeyed," by Francis Bacon, the philosopher not the painter. Want more? Come to It’s Just A Phrase You’re Going Through at the @ilfdublin.bsky.social on May 17 at 5pm! #ILFD 022
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 24/02/2026Make the sky blue again. — Nick, the Finsbury Park aphorist, @londonermag.bsky.social #aphorism www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-finsbury...the-londoner.co.ukThe Finsbury Park provocateur: slogans, suspicion and a big platformHis signs reach millions of people. But where does debate end and responsibility begin? 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 21/02/2026Go, and your homeland goes with you; return, and it’s lost forever. —Diana Anphimiadi, “Bond” #aphorism poemsontheunderground.org/bondpoemsontheunderground.orgBondVisit the post for more. 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 20/02/2026The chief preoccupation of adult life is the replenishment of the appetites. —Nick Trefethen #aphorism 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 18/02/2026The slower you go the sooner you are. —Alice Eckles #aphorism jamesgeary.com/my-life-in-f...jamesgeary.comMy Life in Fortune Cookies – James Geary 000
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialMichael Rosen @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social · 17/02/2026Word of Mouth @BBCRadio4 Thursday 15.30 13811
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialYahia Lababidi @ysl.bsky.social · 14/02/2026“When #writing aphorisms… seeing something and saying something happen at the same time.” — @gearyjames.bsky.social , The World in a Phrase #booksky #quote 062
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 10/02/2026Art is magic delivered from the lie of being truth. —Theodor W. Adorno #aphorism 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 04/02/2026The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. St Augustine #aphorism 000
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialMichael Rosen @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social · 28/01/2026Usual time 15.30 This programme is great fun 53013
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialFrank Norman @franknorman.bsky.social · 29/01/2026I liked this aphorism from Polish writer W. Brudzinski: "The most difficult thing is to find the way to the signposts". It strikes me that this a good summary of the role of #Librarians, getting you from zero to a point where you can navigate for yourself. 131
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialBrigitte Nerlich @bnerlich.bsky.social · 29/01/2026Really interesting. When I heard that professions have their own aphorisms, I remembered some produced by my OH, a social psychologist www.bps.org.uk/psychologist...bps.org.ukAssorted aphorisms and slogans | BPSThoughts from David Clarke (full online version). 032
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialB&W Thornton of Stratford-upon-Avon @bwthornton.bsky.social · 28/01/2026#Radio Aphorisms: Sayings to Live By Word of Mouth Thuur 15:30 BBC Radio 4 @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social talks to James Geary about his lifetime obsession, the short, witty philosophical sayings known as aphorisms. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...bbc.co.ukBBC Radio 4 - Word of Mouth, Aphorisms: Sayings to Live ByMichael Rosen talks to James Geary about aphorisms, AKA literature's hand luggage 053
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialK M Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social · 30/01/2026catching up with Word of Mouth on aphorisms @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social As the Beard Liberation Front has it, a beard on the chin is better than one in the barbers www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...bbc.co.ukWord of Mouth - Aphorisms: Sayings to Live By - BBC SoundsMichael Rosen talks to James Geary about aphorisms, AKA literature's hand luggage 063
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 23/01/2026If you write off the top of your head, what you produce is verbal dandruff. —Tim Brookes #aphorism 031
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 26/12/2025www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1... Thank you @theatlantic.com @adriennelaf.bsky.social #aphorismstheatlantic.comAphoristic Intelligence Beats Artificial IntelligenceIt’s not just okay for some things in life to be hard—it’s essential. 042
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialThe Psychologist @psychmag.bsky.social · 11/12/2025We kneel before heroes, not invaders – the aphorism today. An extract from ‘The World In A Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism’ (second edition), by @gearyjames.bsky.social @uchicagopress.bsky.social www.bps.org.uk/psychologist...bps.org.ukWe kneel before heroes, not invaders – the aphorism today | BPSAn extract from ‘The World In A Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism’ (second edition), by James Geary (The University of Chicago Press). 052
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 06/12/2025Seen at @politicsprose.bsky.social 🙏🏻 #aphorisms 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 27/11/2025#aphorisms in the @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...theguardian.com‘Adults think with their mouths open’: five modern aphorisms to help us make sense of 2025In his new book The World in a Phrase, author James Geary shares aphorisms from David Byrne, James Baldwin and more that speak to the modern day 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 25/11/2025#aphorisms in @prospectmagazine.co.uk www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/culture/7164...prospectmagazine.co.ukNothing beats a good aphorismTweets, TikToks and the outpourings of ChatGPT. Short-form is in vogue—but only one version truly encourages deep reflection 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 20/11/2025Thanks to @wbur.org @hereandnow.bsky.social and host Lisa Mullins for having me on! www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...wbur.orgBook explores how an aphorism often contains 'The World in a Phrase'Author James Geary loves aphorisms, those short, witty statements that often contain profound truths. 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 16/11/2025Why the short, witty, philosophical sayings known as aphorisms are making a comeback... Thanks to @seanmoncrieff.bsky.social and @newstalkfm.bsky.social for having me on the show! www.goloudplayer.com/episodes/a-b...goloudplayer.comA brief history of the aphorism"All that glitters is not gold", "Do or do not, there is no try". The first quote is from Shakespeare, and the other is from Yoda. Both are examples of aphorisms, a form of expression you don't hear m... 010
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 16/11/2025Publishing books – buying them, commissioning them, designing them, selling them – takes creativity, just like writing them. @thebookseller.com #aphorism www.thebookseller.com/comment/publ...thebookseller.comPublishers must think aphoristicallyAI is literal. We must be the opposite. 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 12/11/2025Aphorisms “serve as a probe or compass to explore the threads of life and poetry.” @literaryhub.bsky.social lithub.com/the-striking...lithub.comThe Striking Similarities Between Aphorisms and PoetryAphorisms and poems have a lot in common. Both are brief, both use vivid imagery, and both have a twist, some quick textual or psychological flip, a sudden sting in the tail that gives readers a jo… 000
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialTRE - Talk Radio Europe @tre.radio · 10/11/2025On 'TRE in the Afternoon' with Hannah Murray - @gearyjames.bsky.social with 'The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism', Caroline Young on 'Vivienne Westwood: Provocateur', and Charlie Brougham reviews the weekend's sport. 011
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 09/11/2025"An aphorism is the last link in a long chain of thought." See how true Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach's aphorism is in The World in A Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism — out now! #aphorism @uchicagopress bookshop.org/p/books/the-...bookshop.orgThe World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism, Second EditionA Brief History of the Aphorism, Second Edition 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 09/11/2025Adlai Stevenson was another politician with an aphoristic sense of humor, which he used on the campaign trail... "The hardest thing about any political campaign is how to win without proving that you are unworthy of winning." #aphorism www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/n...nytimes.comLive From New York: Zohran Mamdani’s Got Jokes 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 08/11/2025Reflecting on the demise of The Farmers’ Almanac and the origins of the American aphorism tradition, beginning in 1732 with the premier edition of Ben Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack: "It is hard for an empty sack to stand upright." #aphorism www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...nytimes.comThe Farmers’ Almanac Succumbs to the Digital Age 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 07/11/2025“The aphorism,” Geary writes, “is, in some ways, perfectly suited to the digital age: The oldest form of literature finds its ideal vehicle in the most modern short modes of communication.” Thanks for reading and writing @mashedradish.bsky.social #aphorism mashedradish.com/2025/11/07/a...mashedradish.com“Literature’s hand luggage”: wit and wisdom in James Geary’s “The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism”A definitive—and delightful—handbook to the hard-to-define aphorism. 111
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialJohn Kelly @mashedradish.bsky.social · 07/11/2025I reviewed James Geary's new second edition of his delightful handbook to the aphorism, The World in a Phrase, which sparkles with the wit and wisdom of those he quotes: mashedradish.com/2025/11/07/a...mashedradish.com“Literature’s hand luggage”: wit and wisdom in James Geary’s “The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism”A definitive—and delightful—handbook to the hard-to-define aphorism. 073
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 07/11/2025www.cambridgeday.com/2025/11/06/w... Election Day isn’t over yet…. Vote for your fav aphorism now @cambridgeday.com @harvardbookstore.bsky.social #aphorismcambridgeday.comWhat's your favorite Cantabrigian aphorism? - Cambridge DayAphorisms are concise and cunning turns of phrase. Vote on your favorite Cantabrigian aphorism. 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 06/11/2025open.substack.com/live-stream/...?open.substack.comLIVE SOON: LIVE with James GearyStarting Nov 11 at 9:00 AM EST 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 06/11/2025www.harvard.com/event/james-...harvard.com 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 05/11/2025www.harvardmagazine.com/off-the-shel... #aphorismharvardmagazine.comMust-Read Harvard Books Winter 2025 | Harvard MagazineFrom aphorisms to art heists to democracy’s necessary conditions 010
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 04/11/2025My talk at Harvard's Memorial Church (starting at 7:19 and ending at 14:03) on how play makes something out of nothing, inspired by Giacomo Leopardi's #aphorism: "Children find everything in nothing, adults find nothing in everything. soundcloud.com/memorial-chu...soundcloud.comJames Geary - Nov. 3, 2025 | Morning PrayersMorning Prayers service with speaker James Geary, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School, Nov. 3, 2025. Transcript: https://memorialchurch.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum7126/files 010
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 28/10/2025Richard Kostelanetz’s aphorisms of “radical constraint”… Four-words: If uninvited, arrive late. Anyone understood becomes predictable. Three-words: Eschew questionable explanations. Be seriously funny. Two-words: never generalize sentences end #aphorisms jamesgeary.com/richard-kost...jamesgeary.comRichard Kostelanetz’s aphorisms of “radical constraint” – James Geary 010
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 27/10/2025"An accessible and funny guide to millennia of aphorisms" @karlwhitney.ie on The World in A Phrase in @irishexaminer.bsky.social 🙏4📖ing! www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ar... #aphorismsirishexaminer.comKarl Whitney: Is it better to let ideas fumble on the long route or set them in stone?Etching into stone implies permanence, and that requires an eye on the eternal. When a sentence is for life, it’s best to keep it short, writes Karl Whitney 011
Reposted by @gearyjames.bsky.socialKarl Whitney @karlwhitney.ie · 24/10/2025Is it better to be messy and alive or concise and dead? www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ar...irishexaminer.comKarl Whitney: Is it better to let ideas fumble on the long route or set them in stone?Etching into stone implies permanence, and that requires an eye on the eternal. When a sentence is for life, it’s best to keep it short, writes Karl Whitney 042
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 21/10/2025#puns #wit the pun is the highest not the lowest form of wit 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 20/10/2025All politics are local. —Tip O’Neill … #aphorism on the street 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 19/10/2025Put the best shit at the end, the second-best shit at the beginning, and all the other shit in between. —John Bennet jamesgeary.com/aphorisms-on...jamesgeary.comAphorisms on journalism by John Bennet – James Geary 000
gearyjames.bsky.social @gearyjames.bsky.social · 18/10/2025Be seriously funny. —Richard Kostelanetz’s aphorisms of “radical constraint” jamesgeary.com/richard-kost...jamesgeary.comRichard Kostelanetz’s aphorisms of “radical constraint” – James Geary 000
