Tracing Quotations
Taylor Caldwell? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Taylor Caldwell wrote several best-selling books. Two of her novels were made into popular television mini-series: “Testimony of Two Men” and “Captains and the Kings”. I found a quotation attributed to her that fits with this holiday season: I am not alone at all, I thought. I was …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: We Are Never Alone. Not When the Night Is Darkest, the Wind Coldest”
Mark Twain? Albert Bigelow Paine? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: While watching a television show recently I heard the following saying credited to Mark Twain: The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer somebody else up. The writers of television series sometimes sacrifice accuracy to enable more colorful story-telling. Is this quotation really …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: The Best Way to Cheer Yourself Is to Try to Cheer Somebody Else Up”
Mark Twain? Jack Benny? Satchel Paige? Muhammad Ali? Unknown gerontology researcher? Question for Quote Investigator: On a popular website recently I saw a slide show of quotations ascribed to Mark Twain that included the following: Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. I thought this was said …
Thomas Edison? Kate Sanborn? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Thomas Edison is credited with a famous adage about creativity and innovation: Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. I found another quotation that specified a slightly different ratio of 2 percent to 98 percent. What did Edison actually say? Reply from Quote Investigator: …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Genius Is One Percent Inspiration, Ninety-Nine Percent Perspiration”
Mark Twain? Joseph D. Eggleston Jr.? Inland Steel Company? Quin Ryan? Abigail Van Buren? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Mark Twain is credited with a marvelous saying about the importance of reading: A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read. I was unable to determine when this saying was created, …
Yogi Berra? Paul Valéry? Laura Riding? Robert Graves? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: I am interested in a saying that is both humorous and shrewd: The future is not what it used to be. I have seen several other versions of the saying. The phrasing that uses the word “ain’t” is often credited to Yogi …
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Theodor Seuss Geisel? Mark Young? Bernard Baruch? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: I am trying to validate a quotation that is credited to Theodor Geisel who is better known as Dr. Seuss, the popular author of children’s books. I have been unable to determine where the quote appeared. The task is complicated because there are …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Those Who Mind Don’t Matter, and Those Who Matter Don’t Mind”
Oscar Wilde? Edgar Saltus? Winston Churchill? Randolph Churchill? Lord Birkenhead? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: I have discovered two very similar quotations that are credited to two very different people. The first is ascribed to the legendary wit Oscar Wilde: I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best. The second saying …
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Field Marshal Douglas Haig? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Horses were used effectively in warfare for thousands of years. On many occasions horse-mounted cavalry units were decisive on the battlefield. But the development of machine guns, barbed wire, and armored tanks dramatically changed military tactics. The quotation I am interested in has been ascribed to …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Aeroplanes and Tanks Are Only Accessories to the Man and the Horse”
William James? Ralph Barton Perry? Henry James? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: I have been working to confirm the source and accuracy of a quotation that is attributed to the famous philosopher and educator William James. Here are three versions: A version of this saying was listed in the Wikipedia entry for James, but more …