From our earliest years we have heard proverbs, and many of them are repeated without much thought. Yes, 'birds of a feather flock together' and 'absence makes the heart grow fonder', but these sayings are so familiar that we are scarcely aware they are proverbs. It has been so for thousands of years, in every culture. It is only when someone like Max Cryer takes the time to look at them that we can see how these 'pearls of wisdom' have played such a key role in the moral guidance of every society. Sometimes the wisdom is distinctly odd, sometimes it has become outdated, and sometimes it is simply contradictory. After all, do 'many hands make light work' or do 'too many cooks spoil the broth'? You can't really have it both ways. Max Cryer has chosen some of the most interesting and perplexing, and with his characteristic wry wit he analyses their meaning and truth. "A quirky, fascinating delve into the human psyche over millennia that has resulted in ... gems." -Northern Advocate

Max Cryer is a seasoned researcher and writer on aspects of the English language. A well-known broadcaster and entertainer, he hosts a weekly radio slot on the subject. He has had a long and varied career, in which he has been a schoolteacher, a compere and TV host, as well as a singer in London, Las Vegas and Hollywood. Throughout it all his love of language has remained prevalent, and he is now a full-time writer based in New Zealand.