This book, which strives to tell us so much, does not aspire to tell us that.

The book does not aspire to literary greatness, and so, although intelligent, it is not oppressively earnest about what it sets out to do.

There is no reason to believe that Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse's tepid book ever aspired to satire.

But these books all aspire to wide popularity and all promise guilty, page-turning fun.

If John le Carré took on Vatican politics, his book of suspense might aspire to be much like this one.

This book also aspires to a larger eureka sensation, the kind that accompanies a discovery.

These books aspire to be neither broad nor deep.

Mr. Magueijo's book aspired to the novelistic, but other scientists have gone further down the literary path.

This book never aspires to be pious or politically correct.

This book aspires to be not only an encyclopedia but also an almanac, a biographical dictionary, a historical monument in and of itself.