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New Book Brings Together Modern Wisdom from Ancient History

Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:05am EDT
James Schaffer's book, "They Knew Then," offers useful reference for any
writer or speaker





SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Is there any sentiment or truth of
universal value that transcends time, transcends progress, or that transcends
culture? In his compelling new collection of quotes from 3000 B.C. - 1500
A.D., They Knew Then: Character, Love, Money, Leadership, and Other Sage
Advice, 3000 BC - 1500 AD (published by AuthorHouse), James Schaffer surveys
the ideas of our ancestors of 5000 years ago to discover what they knew then
about our lives today, revealing aspects of the human condition and our own
modernity. 


Simple yet innovative, They Knew Then draws upon some of the oldest pieces of
written history to offer interesting quotations from fascinating and diverse
sources, all of which have a story to tell about the human experience. The
chapters are divided into subjects of character, the Golden Rule, leadership,
love, and money. Within these categories, Schaffer brings together some of the
most recognizable names in ancient history, including Aristotle, Confucius,
Zeno, Homer, Muhammad, Lao Tzu, St. Augustine and Dante. 


Thousands upon thousands of quotations were restricted to those between the
time period of 3000 BC - 1500 AD, specifically to mark the time before Charles
Gutenberg, who invented the printing press, and William Shakespeare, a
world-renowned writer, both of whom changed the shape of the written word and
how knowledge was dispersed. "Given the dramatic influence these two men had
on the accumulation of words and their usage, I wanted to capture the points
of our history, before these paradigm shifts occurred," writes Schaffer. "I
wanted the pages which held these words to have withstood a physical and
political 'survival of the fittest' test."


Ideal for a journalist writing a story, a public or motivational speaker, a
student writing a paper, a best man about to give his speech or just the
average reader looking for a timeless quote to drive home a point, They Knew
Then takes out the hassle of sifting through a multitude of quotations. Beyond
functionality, the quotations within They Knew Then share an inherently
timeless quality and universal value which articulates a message about the
world and humanity of another popular proverb: "The more things change, the
more they stay the same."


About the Author: James Schaffer is a philosopher who has studied at San Diego
State University and is the CEO of the Schaffer Group, a business incubator in
San Francisco. 


AuthorHouse is the premier book publisher for emerging, self-published
authors. For more information, please visit http://www.authorhouse.com.


    EDITORS: For review copies or interview requests, contact:
    Promotional Services Department
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