Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes

Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes, by Fadiman and Bernard, eds.

From Hank Aaron to King Zog, from Mao to Madonna, Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes is a collection of more than 4,000 entries and the best source for anecdotes on the market. Featuring more than 2,000 people past and present from around the world, in all fields of endeavor, these short anecdotes provide remarkable insights into the human character. Ranging from the humorous to the solemn, they span ancient history, recent politics, modern science, and the arts. Each entry includes a brief biography followed by one or more notable, lively, and insightful anecdotes that always deliver a punch of the unexpected.

So this is perhaps my all-time favorite reference book. Not a long list, admittedly, but this is leaps and bounds beyond all the others, with the possible exception of the Bartlett's Book of Quotations. Whenever I need a pick-me-up, a few pages flipped in BBoA will do the trick. One of my early favorites is as follows:

GEORGE-BROWN, Baron (b. 1914) British statesman, born George Alfred Brown
Lord George-Brown, at one stage of his career, was known to be a heavy drinker. At a certain diplomatic function when the orchestra struck up, he felt that as the senior British minister present he should start the dancing. Spying a gorgeously robed figure, he said, "Beautiful lady in scarlet, will you do me the honor of waltzing with me?" "Certainly not," was the sharp response. "In the first place, you are drunk; in the second this is not actually a waltz but the Venezuelan national anthem; and thirdly, I am not a beautiful lady in scarlet, I am, in fact, the papal nuncio."

And how I could resist this book after that, I will never know. This has spoonerisms, bon mots, even touching scenarios about invading soldiers who burst in upon maestros, only to ask them to accompany them on the piano as they sing in the company of greatness. All kinds of wild and crazy stories and improbable happenings are within. I leave you with this:

GRANT, Cary (1904-86) US actor born in England as Archie Leach.
A journalist was writing a story about Grant and needed some background information. Wiring to Grant's publicist, he asked, "How old Cary Grant?" Grant wired back, "Old Cary Grant fine. How you?"