The Well-Spoken Thesaurus

Big professorial words are good to know but not necessarily use at every turn. Try not to serve vichyssois to a coal miner, and do not give Cheerios to the queen of England. Neither will be amused.

Fear not the tyrant; fear the tyrant's wake.

The educated don't get that way by memorizing facts; they get that way by respecting them.

The foolish read to escape reality; the wise surrender to it.

Nuance: for best results apply with sledge hammer.

If you are your own worst enemy, don't do yourself any favors.

Courage is the ability to ignore your options.

Common Sense and Education: The more you think you have of one, the less you think you need of the other.

Science embraces facts and debates opinion; religion embraces opinion and debates the facts.

Words are like little gods. The pronoun "him" instead of "her," if used often enough, can disuade a girl from science or math. The words you use determine the density of gray matter in your brain. They affect your political leanings, influence how you see reality, determine your level of confidence and thus, define what it means to be you. That's what words do.

Cultural pluralism is the only thing we all have in common.

Good writers indulge their audience; great writers know better.

As important as your words are in shaping your behavior, they are even more important in the way they shape the behavior of others. Your manner of speaking is, if nothing else, the central factor upon which people form assumptions about you. Whatever is your ultimate goal in life, chances are good you're going to have to talk your way to it. And if greatness is your goal, well-spoken words are essential. Think about it. From Homer to Hemingway, Lincoln, Churchill, King, and both Obamas - their words are why we know them.