Tracing Quotations
Anton Chekhov? Clifford Odets? Bing Crosby? George Seaton? Jean Webster? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Anton Chekhov, the brilliant Russian writer of stories and plays, reportedly said the following: Any idiot can face a crisis; it’s this day-to-day living that wears you out. I have been unable to locate a source for this statement. I even …
Continue reading “Any Idiot Can Face a Crisis; It’s This Day-To-Day Living That Wears You Out”
Muhammad Ali? Satchel Paige? Cool Papa Bell? Hablarias? Moran and Mack? Abbott and Costello? Anonymous? Dear Quote investigator: Renowned heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali was famous for his witty remarks which included humorous boasts such as this: I’m so fast I hit the light switch in my room and jump into bed before my room …
Continue reading “When He Turned Out the Light He Was in Bed Before the Room Was Dark”
Woody Allen? Marshall Brickman? Donkey Hotey? Apocryphal? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: I am trying to track down the origin of a quotation about success in life that has divaricated into many versions. Here are some examples: Ninety percent of success is just showing up. Showing up is 80 percent of life. Eighty percent of success …
The Stichery? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: The classic fairy tale “The Frog Prince” is told with many different variations. In the most common modern version a Princess kisses a frog, and the animal is transformed into a handsome Prince. A humorous maxim has been constructed based on this scenario: You have to kiss a lot …
Continue reading “You Have To Kiss A Lot Of Frogs To Find Your Prince”
Mark Twain? Warren Neufeld? Bruce Babbitt? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Fresh water is an essential resource, and the battles over water rights in the Western region of the United States can be bruising. Famed humorist Mark Twain is often given credit for an incisively funny remark about this. Here are three versions: Whiskey is for …
Continue reading “Whiskey Is for Drinking; Water Is for Fighting Over”
Drake? Lawrence T. Holman? Chet Huntley? Katharine Ross? Rose Tremain? Wayne Dyer? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: William Shakespeare said “All the world’s a stage”, and the metaphor of life as a theatrical performance has a very long history. The quotation that interests me fits in this metaphorical framework, but I think it was coined recently: …
Marilyn Monroe? Bette Midler? Anonymous? Apocryphal? Quote Investigator: There is a picture on several Pinterest pinboards and Tumblrs that shows a young girl walking in oversized shoes with the following quotation superimposed on the image Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world. —Marilyn Monroe A recent article on the Buzzfeed …
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William Shakespeare? Arrigo Boito? Jeane Westin? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: I have a question about a quotation depicting communication between lovers. The following words are often ascribed to William Shakespeare: When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew. Sometimes the play Romeo and Juliet is named as the source, …
Continue reading “When I Saw You I Fell in Love, and You Smiled Because You Knew”
John Lennon? Charles Schulz? Goldie Hawn? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Did musical superstar John Lennon really tell the following story about his childhood? When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when …
Continue reading “They Asked Me What I Wanted To Be When I Grew Up. I Said ‘Happy’”
Socrates? Dan Millman? All-Night Gas-Station Attendant? Nick Nolte? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: A friend recently offered me a piece of advice that he thought reflected ancient wisdom: The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. These words were attributed to Socrates, but …