Toasts: The Perfect Words to Celebrate Every Occasion

How do you find the right words to summarize a big event? Whether a graduation, a wedding, or a celebration, whether a hello, or a goodbye, there are many occasions that demand some sort of speech or toast, and sometimes, the right words can prove to be so damn elusive.

Thankfully, June Cotner and Nancy Tupper Ling have done all the legwork for you, compiling dozens of quotes and templates for every ceremony and gathering in Toasts. Unlike many quote collections, Ling and Cotner mostly leave behind comedians, orators, and conversational bon vivants. Instead, they opt more for poets and lesser-known speakers–I was surprised at how few names I recognized!–giving you the chance to dodge the more common cliches, and craft something truly worthy of everyone’s attention.

Broken up by events and holidays for easy use, the book tends toward the saccharine–you won’t find many zingers or envelope-pushing one-liners here. But, an occasional chuckle can be found between these pages. For the most part, though, this is an exercise in enthusiastic sincerity. And a welcome one, at that.