Sunday, June 22, 2008

Unexpected feature of Brothers, We Are Not Professionals

Did Piper do this, or did his editors?

Sometimes books will begin chapters with quotations of famous, distinguished figures. They frame the chapter to come.

This Piper book does similarly. It opens each chapter with quotations as well. And, most frequently, the famous figure quoted (by Piper?) is...

John Piper!

So far, I count fourteen opening Piper quotations, thirteen from other sources (including Bible verses).

Take the chapter I'm about to read:"BROTHERS, BEWARE OF SACRED SUBSTITUTES." It opens with three quotations. They are, in order, by —
  1. John Piper
  2. Charles Spurgeon
  3. John Piper
Just... interesting. I don't really mean to imply anything further. It kind of startled me at first, kind of makes me smile, shrug, shake my head.

Do other writers do that?

It just seems to me a bit like saying, "To quote me: ..."

8 comments:

Chris H said...

Or, "I've said it before, and I'll say it again..."

Interesting observation. I won't take anything more than that from it.

David said...

Sometimes it's just hard to find anyone else you agree with.

DJP said...

Exactly, Chris.

LOL, David.

Connie said...

That is very interesting--don't think I've ever seen/noticed that anywhere before. Hmmmm...

Casey said...

IIRC, that book was published by B&H, and I don't know of any other Piper books from B&H. I also don't know of any other books (Piper or otherwise) that use that quoting format. So maybe it does have to do with the publisher.

Kay said...

Is it really bad of me that I'm laughing a lot now? I really want to hear a sermon now Dan, in which you say at one point 'to quote me..' because I can already hear it in my head. :D

DJP said...

(c:

Well, pray harder that I get a permanent pulpit, and I may just grant your wish.

Though the form I might use would be: "In the words of that eminent sage and noted philosopher — me! —...."

S.J. Walker said...

Dan,

Where I come from "sage" is a shrub. Short, smelly, gray, and kills everything else around it. You might want to rethink that adjective.

Just saying.

God bless,

Sam