Given to me one Christmas from my crazy uncle, this is a book I return to often. The first edition of Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations was compiled by John Bartlett in 1855 and was a mere 258 pages thick. Now in its 17th edition it weighs in at 1,500 pages. Bartlett's Familiar Quotations is jam packed with interesting, inspirational, and memorable quotes. It makes for a great reference when writing and for great reading on a lazy afternoon.

(Also available on the iBookstore.)