The Dictionary of Received Ideas

The Dictionary of Received Ideas is a satirical reference work left unfinished by Gustave Flaubert upon his death in 1880. The book presents itself as an alphabetical collection of definitions and common opinions that Flaubert gathered from French bourgeois society. Each entry consists of a word or phrase followed by statements that represent the clichés, platitudes and conventional wisdom of 19th century France. Flaubert worked on compiling these entries over two decades, drawing from conversations and written materials he encountered. The format follows that of a standard reference dictionary, but subverts expectations through entries that expose the banality and contradictions of accepted social truths. The text includes categorical statements on topics ranging from art and literature to food, politics, and social customs. Through his mock-dictionary, Flaubert creates a critique of intellectual conformity and the unexamined assumptions that govern bourgeois thought and conversation. The work stands as an early example of found text and conceptual literature that influenced later avant-garde movements.

Readers describe this satirical dictionary as a sharp critique of 19th century bourgeois clichés and conventional wisdom. Many reviews note its humor holds up well, with readers drawing parallels to modern social media discourse and political talking points. Readers appreciated: - Brief, witty definitions that expose societal hypocrisy - Timeless observations about human nature - Compact format making it easy to read in short bursts Common criticisms: - Some references feel dated or require historical context - Translation quality varies between editions - Too short/fragmentary (some wanted more entries) Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (80+ ratings) "Like scrolling through Twitter from 150 years ago" - Goodreads reviewer "Perfect bathroom reading material" - Amazon reviewer "Makes you realize how little human nature changes" - LibraryThing review

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The Cynic's Word Book by Ambrose Bierce A collection of satirical definitions that dissects human folly and societal conventions through ironic observations.

A Perfect Vacuum by Stanisław Lem A series of reviews for nonexistent books that parodies academic criticism and intellectual pretension.

The New Devil's Dictionary by Rhoda Koenig A modern interpretation of satirical definitions that targets contemporary social conventions and cultural assumptions.

🔖 The book was left unfinished at Flaubert's death in 1880 and was published posthumously in 1913 alongside "Bouvard et Pécuchet" 🔖 Flaubert collected these satirical definitions for over 30 years, aiming to mock the bourgeois clichés and commonly accepted wisdom of his time 🔖 The dictionary format was revolutionary for its time, predating similar satirical works and inspiring later authors like Ambrose Bierce's "The Devil's Dictionary" 🔖 The original French title "Le Dictionnaire des idées reçues" also translates to "Dictionary of Commonplaces" or "Dictionary of Accepted Ideas" 🔖 Many entries mock the superficial knowledge of the middle class, such as the entry for "ARCHAEOLOGY: A worthless pursuit, all about broken pots"