Tracing Quotations
Pablo Picasso? Françoise Gilot? Carlton Lake? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Pablo Picasso was one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. He was also open to the ideas and approaches of other creators. The following remark has been attributed to the master painter: When there’s anything to steal, I steal. Is this …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: When There’s Anything To Steal, I Steal”
John Nalson? Oliver Cromwell? Tom Quick? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Historically, non-combatants have sometimes been deliberately attacked during warfare. A cruel motto has been employed to rationalize the targeting of young people. Here are three versions: Nits make lice. Nits will become lice. Nits will be lice. A “nit” refers to the egg of …
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe? John Anster? William Hutchison Murray? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: There is a wonderful quotation about the pivotal step of making a commitment to an enterprise: Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it;Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. These two lines are often attributed to the …
Tallulah Bankhead? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The famous actress Tallulah Bankhead was an ardent baseball fan, and she was particularly impressed by the outstanding skills of the great athlete Willie Mays. Apparently, she stated that there have only been two authentic geniuses in history: Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare I am not sure if …
Richard Branson? Thornton Wilder? Francis Bacon? Mr. Bettenham? King James I of England? Henry Edmundson? Richard Flecknoe? Clint Murchison? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The famous British entrepreneur Richard Branson employed an extraordinary simile. He said that “money is like manure”, and elaborated on the thought as follows: If you let money pile up, it …
Edna St. Vincent Millay? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: You have already examined the following mordant saying: Life is just one damned thing after another. Apparently, the prominent poet Edna St. Vincent Millay disagreed, and she offered her own alternative trenchant analysis of life. Here are three versions: It’s one damn thing over and over.It’s …
Arthur C. Clarke? Albert Scott Crossfield? George T. Hauty? S. Fred Singer? Question for Quote Investigator: In the early days of the space-age researchers and administrators were considering replacing human pilots and astronauts with computers. The argument against this form of automation was presented with a single humorous sentence that emphasized the advantages of humans. …
Frank Lloyd Wright? Edgar Tafel? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Recently, I was reading a book about software design, and the author emphasized the importance of detecting and fixing errors quickly. The following quotation was presented: You can use an eraser on the drafting table or a sledgehammer on the construction site. The statement was …
Frida Kahlo? Rebecca Katherine Martin? Apocryphal? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: There is a fascinating quotation about self-consciousness and the desire to establish a connection with an alter ego or doppelganger. Here is the beginning: I used to think I was the strangest person in the world, but then I thought, there are so many …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: It’s True I’m Here, and I’m Just as Strange as You”
William Faulkner? Ernest Hemingway? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Two major writers of the twentieth century disagreed sharply about the type of vocabulary that was advantageous in literary works. According to a literary legend Faulkner attacked Hemingway by saying he had “no courage”. Hemingway’s tightly circumscribed word choice was pedestrian. Hemingway punched back by stating …
Continue reading “Anecdote Origin: The Dictionary Feud of Faulkner versus Hemingway”