Tracing Quotations
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 …
Warren Buffett? Frank Fellinger? Apocryphal? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: The funniest and most perceptive comment about the precious metal gold is attributed to the super-investor Warren Buffett: Gold gets dug out of the ground in Africa, or some place. Then we melt it down, dig another hole, bury it again and pay people to stand …
Joseph Campbell? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Joseph Campbell was renowned for teaching about the mythologies of many cultures. The following statement is often ascribed to him: The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. I have looked through several of his books and have not located this quote. Did he say or …
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Walt Disney? Diane Disney Miller? Pete Martin? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Animator, producer, and entrepreneur Walt Disney suffered many setbacks before he became a world-famous entertainer. For example, he founded the Laugh-O-Gram company to make animated films in Missouri, and the pioneering studio ended up in bankruptcy. Disney learned from his mistakes and persevered, and …
Continue reading “A Kick in the Teeth May Be the Best Thing in the World for You”
Noah Webster? Samuel Johnson? Chauncey Depew? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: There is a ribald anecdote about one of the world’s greatest dictionary makers that I would like you to explore. The tale claims that the lexicographer Noah Webster had a secret libertine inclination. One day his wife returned home and was shocked to discover him …
Marcus Tullius Cicero? Taylor Caldwell? Otto E. Passman? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: In 2011 a host on the cable channel CNN said this:[ref] 2011 November 12 at 9:30 ET, Transcript for CNN cable channel broadcast, Program name: Your Bottom Line, Host of program: Christine Romans, (Excerpt spoken by Christine Romans), (Accessed CNN transcripts at transcripts.cnn.com …
Continue reading “The Budget Should Be Balanced; The Treasury Should Be Refilled”
Judge Dowdall? William Pickford? Lord Sterndale? Anonymous? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Some lawyers take pride in their use of rigorous logical and legal reasoning. I once heard a hilarious remark about the body of law accumulated over the centuries. I do not remember the exact wording, but it was something like this: The entire body …
Helen Keller? Anne Sullivan? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Helen Keller was once asked about the price she would pay to gain the sense of sight. Her reported response was thoughtful and poignant: I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than walk alone in the light. What were the circumstances surrounding this quotation? …
Continue reading “I Would Rather Walk With a Friend in the Dark Than Alone in the Light”