Tracing Quotations
Margaret Mead? Paul Brand? Philip Yancey? Steven C. Beering? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A primordial human who fell and broke a femur (thigh bone) would have faced terrible odds of survival. A vulnerable individual who was unable to walk and gather food would probably expire. Yet, a caring and supportive culture would enable recovery. …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: A Healed Femur Is the Earliest Sign of True Civilization”
Maya Angelou? Bertha Flowers? Bill Moyers? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Rhyme and rhythm often produce a lovely euphony in poems. This notion has been expressed as follows: Poetry is music written for the human voice. These words have been attributed to Renaissance woman Maya Angelou, but some people assert that she disclaimed credit. Would you …
Continue reading “Poetry Is Music Written for the Human Voice”
Ernestine Ulmer? Arthur Murray? Earl Wilson? Leopold Fechtner? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: T-shirts and bumper stickers present a modern proverb about the precariousness of existence. Here are two versions: Eat dessert first because life is uncertain. Life is uncertain, so eat dessert first. Ernestine Ulmer often receives credit although that name is somewhat obscure. Would …
Anton Chekhov? Ivan Bunin? André Maurois? Paul Engle? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: A famous author offered the following astonishing advice: After completing a story one should cross out the beginning and the end. This guidance has been attributed to the prominent Russian playwright and short-story writer Anton Chekhov. Would you please explore this topic? Quote …
A Leading Banker? President of the Michigan Savings Bank? Sarah T. Bushnell? Horace Rackham? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: An investor was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase stock in Henry Ford’s nascent automobile company. The cautious capitalist asked a prominent banker what he thought, and he received an erroneous prediction: The horse is here …
Albert Einstein? Jerome Halprin? Abba Eban? Leonard Lyons? Sidney Greenberg? Paul Connett? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A popular quip highlights the distinction between the adjectives clever and wise: A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. This notion can also be expressed as follows: A clever person gets out of a …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: A Clever Person Solves a Problem. A Wise Person Avoids It”
Howard Rheingold? John Gilmore? Michael Sattler? Philip Elmer-DeWitt? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Modern communication systems are designed to distribute messages even when some connections and modules are damaged. This resilience inspired an adage in the 1990s about the suppression of information. Here are two versions: Nowadays, the official and unofficial strategies used to impede …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: The Net Interprets Censorship As Damage and Routes Around It”
Howard Thurman? Gil Bailie? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: If you are an altruistic or philanthropic person you face many choices. It is natural to ask, “What does the world need?” Yet, it is essential to maintain commitment and enthusiasm. Hence, you should ask yourself what makes you come alive. This will help you decide what …
Stanley Baldwin? Rudyard Kipling? Arthur W. Baldwin? Benjamin Disraeli? Tom Stoppard? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: In the 1930s British politician Stanley Baldwin reacted with anger when he read a claim that he considered defamatory in the pages of a popular newspaper. Shortly afterward he delivered a speech accusing the U.K. press barons of wielding power …
Continue reading “Power Without Responsibility — The Prerogative of the Harlot Throughout the Ages”
Alexander McLaren? Charles Haddon Spurgeon? Ian Maclaren? Corrie ten Boom? Dear Quote Investigator: Excessive fear and worry about the future can weaken the resolve needed to thrive. Here are three versions of a pertinent saying: (1) Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength. (2) Anxiety does not …
Continue reading “Anxiety Does Not Empty Tomorrow of Its Sorrows; It Empties Today of Its Strength”