Publisher's Synopsis
Drawing on examples from a diversity of eras and places-from ancient Egypt to medieval Europe to modern Africa-Curnow explores the ways we have sought to overcome the problems posed by our existence, such as love and death, with a steadfast wisdom. He shows how many cultures have attributed wisdom to deities such as Apollo, Odin, and Sarasvati, and how, especially, we have placed it within the vehicle of the proverb, which has safeguarded its lessons throughout time and across cultures.
Including a collection of one hundred sayings that offer a rich record of wisdom's reification, this history gives new insight into what wisdom actually is and where we might find it.