Dorothy Parker? Lillian Day? Alexander Woollcott? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: U.S. poet, critic, and fiction writer Dorothy Parker was famous for her witticisms. When discussing a prom, she said something like the following: If all the young women who attended were laid end to end, I wouldn’t be at all surprised. Would you please …
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Quote Origin: Economics Is the Only Field in Which Two People Can Get a Nobel Prize for Saying Exactly the Opposite Thing
Roberto Alazar? Pasi Kuoppamaki? Richard M. Scammon? Ben Wattenberg? John Kenneth Galbraith? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Economics is a complex and contentious discipline. Sharp disagreements between economists inspired the following quip: Economics is the only field in which two people can share a Nobel Prize for saying opposing things. Would you please help me …
Quote Origin: Courage Is What It Takes To Stand Up and Speak; It Is Also What It Takes To Sit Down and Listen
Winston Churchill? William Arthur Ward? Googey Bince? Carl Hermann Voss? George W. Norris? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: It takes courage to stand up and speak, but it also takes courage to sit down and listen. This notion has been attributed to U.K statesman Winston Churchill, but I have never seen a solid citation, and …
A Committee Is a Gathering of Important People Who, Singly Can Do Nothing, But Together Can Decide That Nothing Can Be Done
Fred Allen? John Florence Sullivan? St. Martin’s Review? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Meetings are often ineffective time-wasting exercises. Here are two versions of a popular comical criticism: (1) A committee is a body of people who individually can do nothing but collectively they may decide that nothing can be done. (2) A conference is …
Adage Origin: The Only Way Out Is Through
Robert Frost? George William Curtis? Arthur Deerin Call? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Everyone encounters difficult problems and arduous tasks. When avoidance is impossible it becomes necessary to face these challenges directly. Here are four versions of a pertinent adage: (1) The only way out is through.(2) The best way out is always through.(3) No …
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Quote Origin: I Worry More About the Return OF My Money Than the Return ON My Money
Will Rogers? Eddie Cantor? Benjamin Franklin? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Risky investments offer high returns, but the money invested may be completely lost. A family of statements uses wordplay to express a memorable warning. Here are three instances: (1) I learned to worry about the return of my money instead of the return on …
Quote Origin: Write Hard and Clear About What Hurts
Ernest Hemingway? Natalie Goldberg? Conrad Aiken? Joan Crawford? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: I have repeatedly encountered the following advice directed toward aspiring writers: Write hard and clear about what hurts. This statement has been attributed to Ernest Hemingway, but I am skeptical because I have never seen a solid citation. Would you please explore …
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Poem Origin: I Cannot Promise You a Life of Sunshine
Mark Twain? Margo T. Brandt? Kimber Crocker? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A popular poem is employed during wedding celebrations. Here are the first two lines: I cannot promise you a life of sunshineI cannot promise riches, wealth, or gold This poem has been attributed to the famous U.S. writer Mark Twain, but I have …
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Quote Origin: I Don’t Give Advice; I Give Opinions
John Wooden? Bill Walton? Joyce Fittro? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A famously successful coach was often asked for advice, but he had no desire to be rigidly didactic; hence, he would say: I don’t give advice, I give opinions. This statement has been credited to U.S. basketball coach John Wooden who won ten NCAA …
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Quote Origin: All That I Am I Attribute to My Dislike for Reading Books
Erskine Caldwell? Stanley J. Kunitz? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: As a budding author I have often been told that I must hone my craft by reading numerous good books. Hence, I was astounded when I encountered the following statement from an acclaimed bestselling author: All that I am I attribute to my dislike for …
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