Crisp Toasts : Wonderful Words That Add Wit and Class to Every Time You Raise Your Glass (Thomas Dunne Book) (Hardcover)

From Library Journal
These two contemporary collections from The New Yorker 's Frothingham and Evans ( And I Quote , St. Martin's, 1992) will prove useful for any collection. Crisp Toasts lists at least three toasts for more than 100 alphabetically arranged topics, from absent friends to work. Ranging from timely to traditional, most of the toasts are short one-liners, ideal for weddings, christenings, reunions, and retirement dinners. Well-Done Roasts is one of the first collections of roasts for every occasion. Roasts are becoming an ever more popular form of testimonial for everyone from politicians to retired sports heroes, and the authors offer hundreds of friendly tributes disguised as insults, arranged alphabetically from old age to youth. There is even a helpful list of synonyms. This user-friendly, nonsexist manual will keep audiences in stitches. Some contemporary samples: "Those aren't acne scars on his face, he just had a hard time learning to eat with a fork," and "She went to the Tammy Faye Baker cosmetics school."-- Brian E. Coutts, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
Wonderful words that add wit and class to every time you raise your glass.

Sample toasts:

Friends & Friendship: To our best friends, who know the worst about us but refuse to believe it.

Generosity: Life 'em high and drain 'em dry to the guy who says, "My turn to buy!"

Golf: To golf, the most frustrating and masochistic sport in the world, which may be why golf spelled backward in flog.

Happiness: May we be happy and our enemies know it.

Gambling: Life consists not in holding good cards, but playing those you hold well.

Politics & Politicians: To Washington, our country's capital, where the roads, and everything else, go around in circles.

Review: A Heartfelt Toast For The Ones We Love
A truly remarkable book! Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. Original, creative, heartfelt and sincere toasts. "Crisp Toasts" is the answer for "those of us" who don't know exactly what to say and when to say it. It gives you direct guidance on helping you find the "perfect" toast for the "perfect" couple. Sincere and meaningful examples are given, some serious and others funny, and insight as to which one is appropriate depending on the situation. I have recommended it to many friends and relatives. What a wonderful reference book to keep throughout the years.

Toasts : Over 1,500 Of the Best Toasts, Sentiments, Blessings, and Graces (Hardcover)
From Library Journal

This is a book that will be helpful to anyone who ever expects to be called on to give a toast. It begins with a brief introductory history of toasts and toasting, pointing out that the custom of drinking to the health and prosperity of another is an ancient one. The book is arranged by broad topics from age ("May you enter Heaven late") to weddings ("May you grow old on one pillow") to friendship ("Here's to a friend. He knows you well and likes you just the same."). Some of the quotes are from literature or famous people, but there are many old anonymous ones, too. Sections on effective toasting, odd customs, and the like are also included. Libraries needing to expand their quotations collections might want to buy this volume.

- Rebecca Wondriska, Trinity Coll. Lib., Hartford, Ct.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
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 of verbal fun from wordsmith extraordinaire Paul Dickson. Impossible to put down when browsing and easy to use when looking something up, it's one of those books that will never gather dust on the shelf.

Weddings, graduations, anniversaries, births (and birthdays), family reunions, business dinners, and other occasions are all included, along with tips for the toastmaster, ways to says "Cheers!" in fifty languages from Albanian to Zulu, and other toasting topics.

Salud!

I drink to your health when I'm with you,

I drink to your health when I'm alone,

I drink to your health so often

I'm beginning to worry about my own.

Here's to good-byes -- that they never be spoken!

Here's to friendships -- may they never be broken!

Drink to the girls and drink to their mothers,

Drink to their fathers and to their brothers;

Toast their dear healths as long as you're able,

And dream of their charms while you're under the table.

Early to rise and early to bed makes a male healthy and wealthy and dead.

-- James Thurber

I used to know a clever toast,

But pshaw! I cannot think it --

So fill your glass to anything

And, bless your souls, I'll drink it.

Review: 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.

Review: 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.

Review: 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.

Review: Carpe glass (Sieze the glass!)
Like a real pro, Paul Dickson has produced, actually concocted, a rich compendium of examples and answers to any query and questions about toasting and hosting. Getting a copy even helped me articulate my sincere attestations when I entertain a few close friends and acquaintances in my modest home; though frequently with coffee or irish cream or shandy, seldom with wine.

Dickson does not preach, he guides and suggests. As your reading progresses, you easily learn, comprehend and take heart what is appropriate if perfect, and then sense what to avoid or perceive what is uncalled for when giving someone or something a toast.

This book is not only amusing. It's a deliciously entertaining and concrete fount of infos and references for fledgling hosts and party impresarios. I read my copy cover to cover and felt like popping the champagne and making the wine glasses clink!

Review: 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.



The Complete Book of Wedding Toasts (Paperback)

Brilliant: The bridesmaid's guide to a wedding toast.
I was the bridesmaid in my friends wedding and this book provided me with the know how on delivering an exceptional toast worthy of my best friend's wedding.I would highly recommend this book to anyone.A must own

Review: Very helpful
My brother got married recently and I was the best man. The thought of getting up and giving the toast at the reception was really scary to me so he got me this book to help. When I read through the book I found several that made a lot of sense so I combined a couple together and added a few things of my own. It turned out great and I know I couldn't have done it without this book.

Review: A Maid of Honor's best friend
This is a very cool book! I was recently in my cousin's wedding and had to give a couple of speeches about the bride and groom and it really gave me a lot of good ideas. There was lots to choose from so that I sounded like I knew what I was talking about. Even my mother liked it. Well worth it.

Review: Terrific!
This book really allowed me to enjoy my daughter's wedding. Not only was it a great help to the wedding party it was also a great help to me and my husband. We were able to give loving, appropriate toasts with a minimum of nervousness. I highly recommend it.

Review: A Terrific Useful Book
I just loved this book. I've been a bridesmaid so many times and have had to make toasts and say "a few words" on many occasions. I just wish I had had this book ten years ago. Some of the toasts actually brought tears to my eyes. It's truly a reference book that's written with heart, passion, and humor. I recommend it to anyone who needs to come up with a meaningful speech for anniversaries, weddings, any emotion-filled life event.



The Pocket Guide to Wedding Speeches & Toasts (Paperback)




Diane Warner's Complete Book of Wedding Toasts: Hundred's of Ways to Say "Congratulations!" (Paperback)

Book Description
The best man brings down the house with a hilarious story.
The bridegroom recites a touching poem.

The father of the groom gives an eloquent toast to the newlyweds.

All of these can happen at your wedding with Diane Warner’s Complete Guide to Wedding Toasts, which features hundreds of sample toasts anyone responsible for delivering heartwarming words at a wedding can use.

And this completely new edition includes:

Special toasts by members of the family and the wedding party

Entire chapters are devoted to special toasts, including toasts by the best man, the fathers of the bride and groom, the bride’s sister, the bride for her mother and the bride and groom to each other.

Toasts with ethnic variations

A chapter has also been devoted to dozens of touching ethnic toasts, including a wedding toast inspired by an old Eskimo wedding prayer, a beautiful Scottish wedding toast and fifteen lovely, lilting Irish wedding toasts. This chapter also includes a list of each country’s preferred toasting beverage.

Toasts inspired by the classics

This chapter is filled with unique toasts inspired by Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aristotle, George Eliot, and many others.

Humorous toasts

The book wouldn’t be complete without a chapter filled with humorous toasts, including charming anecdotes, limericks and one-liners.

Diane Warner is the best-selling author of 22 books, including Diane Warner’s Contemporary Guide to Wedding Etiquette, Complete Book of Wedding Toasts, Complete Book of Wedding Showers, Complete Book of Baby Showers, Diane Warner’s Big Book of Parties and How to Have a Big Wedding on a Small Budget, 4th Edition. Diane also writes for magazines, newspapers and Web sites. She is a popular speaker and radio and television guest. She has made over 100 national radio and television appearances and can be seen regularly on HGTV and The Discovery Channel. She lives in Tucson, Arizona with her author-husband, Jack.--This text refers to the Paperback edition.



Wedding Toasts & Speeches: Finding The Perfect Words (Paperback)

Capture the feelings of joy and love in your toast! It isn't always easy to find the right words to express your special thoughts at this memorable moment. Use some of these famous and not-so-famous quotes and speeches, each one appropriate for that special wedding day. You'll find wisdom, humor and comfort in these proverbs and sayings, both profound and pithy, to sum up your sentiments!

Sample wedding toast:
May you have enough happiness to keep you sweet; enough trials to keep you strong; enough sorrow to keep you human; enough hope to keep you happy; enough failure to keep you humble, enough success to keep you eager; enough friends to give you comfort; enough faith and courage in yourself to banish depression; enough wealth to meet your needs; enough determination to make each day a better day than yesterday.

Review: Excellent!
Helps you find just the right words for that special day! It's a great help when trying to figure out how to word that special wedding toast.

Toasts for Every Occasion (Mass Market Paperback)

Review: The Perfect Gift for Every Occasion,
Fabulous! This was the perfect Father's Day gift - and will be my favorite gift to give for all occasions! Just perusing is provides delicious entertainment. I treasure having a FIRST EDITION and here's to many more!

Review: The Champagne of Toasts,
Jennifer Rahel Conover's talents are as many as the bubbles in champagne--endless and always rising to the top. Jennifer's pedigree, intelligence and wit are blended with her years of hobnobbing around the world to compile "Toasts For Every Occasion." Every host should own one. Every guest should give one as a gift! ---Kathleen Pickering, Author, "Echoes of Love"