According to American playwright Lillian Hellman, cynicism is an unpleasant way of telling the truth. Cynicism may be confronting but it can also be extremely witty and amusing - and strangely exhilarating. After all telling the truth about uncomfortable subjects is the stock in trade of the comedian - as such masters as Woody Allen, Jerry Seinfeld and Billy Connolly well know. The entries in this dictionary comprise caustic quotations by a variety of cynics and truth-tellers - ever ready yo prick the conceits and pomposities of their times. Foremost is Ambrose Bierce (1842-c1914) an American journalist, satirist and short story writer - and the compiler of the first cynic's lexicon 'The Devil's Dictionary'. The best of his curmudgeonly definitions form the backbone of this collection. NB: This ISBN seems to have been used for two different titles for this work: 'The Devil's Collection: A Cynic's Dictionary' - first published 2003 and 'Wicked Wisdom: A Cynic's Dictionary' - first published 2004 ... although the latter title does have an alternative ISBN as well!