Tracing Quotations
Dorothy Parker? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The notable wit Dorothy Parker constructed several epitaphs for herself. I am interested in the following: Here Lies the Body of Dorothy Parker. Thank God! When did she craft this fateful expression? Reply from Quote Investigator: QI has already examined a collection of epitaphs that have been ascribed …
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Helen Keller? Van Wyck Brooks? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: An inspirational adage encouraging boldness and audacity has been attributed to Helen Keller who overcame great adversity: Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. Is this accurate? Reply from Quote Investigator: Helen Keller did write a closely matching statement; however, the appended …
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Eleanor Roosevelt? Charles Stewart? Henry Thomas Buckle? James H. Halsey? Hyman G. Rickover? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The following adage is largely used to deride people who are preoccupied with gossip: Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. The words are attributed to social activist and former First Lady …
Theodor Seuss Geisel? Anita Merina? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: There is an enthusiastic quotation about reading that has been attributed to the famous children’s author Dr. Seuss: You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book & read to a child. I haven’t been able to track down the precise …
John Maynard Keynes? Josiah Stamp? Ernest Brown? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The most outrageous quotation about education that I have ever heard has been attributed to the famous economist John Maynard Keynes. Here are three versions: 1) Education is the inculcation of the incomprehensible into the ignorant by the incompetent. 2) Education: the inculcation …
Peter De Vries? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: There is an amusing quip that is perfect for National Novel Writing Month. Here are two versions: 1) I love being a writer. What I can’t stand is the paperwork. 2) Writing: I like everything about it but the paperwork. This comment has been attributed to the …
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Margaret Mead? Jim Wright? John Peers? Meade? Red Green? Apocryphal? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A very funny quotation about individuality has been attributed to the influential anthropologist Margaret Mead: Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. I would like to include this in a book I am preparing, but I …
Samuel Johnson? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Whenever I experience difficulties while writing I recall a remark attributed to Samuel Johnson that is both cautionary and encouraging: What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure. I have not been able to find this statement in a book written by Johnson or by …
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Maya Angelou? Nathaniel Hawthorne? Thomas Hood? Richard Brinsley Sheridan? Charles Allston Collins? Anthony Trollope? Lord Byron? William Makepeace Thackeray? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Writers should strive to create texts that are informative, interesting, stimulating, and readable. But one of my favorite sayings reveals that this can be a remarkably difficult task: Easy reading is …
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Richard Brinsley Sheridan? Lord Byron? Ernest Hemingway? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: There are two complementary and intertwined statements about reading and writing that I would like you to investigate: 1) Easy writing results in hard reading. 2) Easy reading requires hard writing. Many different phrases have been used to express these two thoughts, and …
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