The Long and Short of ItBrevity may be the soul of wit, but it is also much more. In this exploration of the shortest literary workswise sayings, proverbs, witticisms, sardonic observations about human nature, pithy evocations of mystery, terse statements regarding ultimate questionsGary Saul Morson argues passionately for the importance of these short genres not only to scholars but also to general readers. We are fascinated by how brief works evoke a powerful sense of life