Taxi Driver Wisdom: 20th Anniversary Edition

By Risa Mickenberg

Book Overview

Real taxi drivers know more than how to get you there without a GPS. Philosophers all, they know how to get you there in life. This 20th anniversary edition of the wise and hilarious classic, as true now as ever, is a celebration of the witty, philosophical perspective on human nature culled from real quotations from real cab drivers who've been around the block. On reading the signs: "If a man keeps telling you he loves you, over and over, then something is wrong." On vanity economics: "The worse a town's economy is, the better looking the guys who work at the local gas station are." Evocative black and white photos and a cab-dash padded cover with taxi-yellow page edges showcases the wisdom in style.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1452157634
• ISBN13: 9781452157634
• Release Date: July 2016
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.5" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Brilliant!

This is such a great book. We keep it on our coffee table and it is always picked up and commented on. My favorite taxi driver quote is on relationships -- "New shoes always hurt." This book makes a great gift for the hard-to-shop-for person (that's how we got it), and it is an absolute treasure.

IF AYN RAND DROVE A CAB...

Yep, good book. Just bought it for my mom after reading it myself. Most books in this genre are bunk, little more than trite and tired feelgood slogans pasted together with artsy black and white pictures. TAXI DRIVER WISDOM has its share of B & W photos; however, unlike most "coffeetable" books, the pictures aren't contrived props to accompany crappy prose. I must admit I am a biased reviewer, as I'm currently a full-time taxi driver. Just thought it odd that none of the reviews are written by any of my colleagues; figured at least half of the reviews would be from cabbies. Anyhoo, read the book and enjoy, and refer it to your friends. And if your in your mid-twenties and looking for a fun way to kill a year or two while making a decent living, consider driving a cab. It beats working on an Alaskan fishing boat, and it's just as dangerous! I got a degree from a fancy university, but have learned more in the past year on this job (paying off student loans) than I ever did in an ivory tower. Of course I'm still gonna go to grad school, but at least right now I get a car for 12 hours a day...Hats off to the authors, Risa and Joanne. Many safe fares to you both. - Ted, driver for "Friendly Cab" Sacramento, CAFavorite quote from book - "Old people... they like to get to the airport early."So true.

not for the educated perceived elite

Beautifully bound gift of street wisdom (ive given 5 so far) its like comparing homemade chili to Quiche Lorraine-VERY funny and not for ann landers readers and not for the Harvard crowd. Honest,straight to the point-either read this in 20 minutes and have to give it to friends or spend 5 years studying philosophy-still scratching your head. Street Wisdom cant be taught you eiter understand its simplicity or you dont. Its like this: if you are sophisticated,educated at the finest schools and wear armani clothes, make 100K-but you are in L.A. lost your wallet and the plane left without you and you have to be in San Francisco in 5 hours-what do you do? answer: swallow your pride and get on the friggin greyhound bus,ya dope. Favourite quote from book: your not any safer in first class.....

Eternal Truth through a glass partition

There are some basic questions everyone asks in life-- Who am I? Why are things the way they are? What is the meaning of life? What's the best way from Washington Square to West 73rd Street, and how much will it cost? In Taxi Driver Wisdom, Risa Mickenberg finds the answers to all of these questions at once, in the interaction between cabdriver and fare. Cleverly framed by hack licenses depicting Freud and Nietzsche and expertly illustrated with Joanne Dugan's tasteful roadway photographs, this book encompasses the breadth and scope of human experience while streaking up Broadway in time for a lunch meeting. Economic theory-- "We are all born poor." Aging-- "Old people, they like to get to the airport early." And time and space-- "Vietnam War is finished but Sixth Avenue construction is never finished." All told, a fantastic work, both thought-provoking and amusing, and an excellent addition to any nightstand or corporate desk.

Epigrams and Witticisms

I picked this book up on an uncharacteristic whim in a coffee shop, and I feel in love. I am a lover of witty observations as well as all things New York City-related. The observations collected within the covers of Taxi Driver Wisdom just make me happy. How can you beat "YOU ONLY HAVE YOURSELF TO BLAME, AND EVERYONE ELSE HAS YOU TO BLAME, TOO." In addition, the photographs capture the personality of New York City in a way that makes it feel accessible to me. I'm purchasing copies for my family members as holiday gifts, and I bought a small white board for my office where I post a new quote from the book every few days to lighten the atmosphere at work. The best thing about this book is the fact that the quotes are both funny and true. This book is a joy.