Tracing Quotations
Benjamin Disraeli? Prince Jérôme Napoléon? Napoleon III? French Academician? Mr. Snigger? Suffragette? Max O’Rell? Paul Blouët? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The statesman Benjamin Disraeli was famous for his witticisms and barbs. Reportedly he was once asked about the difference in meaning between the words “misfortune” and “calamity”, and he constructed a jest aimed at …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: What Is the Difference Between a Misfortune and a Calamity?”
Franz Kafka? Anne Rice? Russell Brand? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The comedian and controversial wild man Russell Brand released the bestselling autobiography “My Booky Wook” in 2007 and the sequel “Booky Wook 2: This Time It’s Personal” in 2010. The sequel had a fascinating epigraph on the first page: Don’t bend; don’t water it …
Zora Neale Hurston? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A quotation about success has been attributed to the prominent American author and pioneering folklorist Zora Neale Hurston. Here are two versions: Those who don’t got it, can’t show it. Those who got it, can’t hide it Those that don’t got it, can’t show it. Those that …
Charlie Chaplin? Albert Einstein? János Plesch? Hans Albert Einstein? Eduard Einstein? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The entertainer Charlie Chaplin and the scientist Albert Einstein were two of the most famous individuals of the last century. I have heard the following anecdote about a meeting between them in the 1930s. While traveling together they were …
Al Capone? Irwin Corey? Ted Bessell? Robert De Niro? Willie Sutton? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The notorious gangster Al Capone reportedly had an odd sense of humor and joked about using coercion. Here are three versions of a saying that is attributed to him: You get a lot more from a kind word and …
George Bernard Shaw? Abba Eban? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: There is a popular phrase used to criticize individuals and groups. Here are three examples: Some politicians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. He never missed an occasion of losing an opportunity. This group loses no chance to miss an opportunity. Can you …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Some People Never Miss an Opportunity to Miss an Opportunity”