Mark Twain? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Mark Twain once spun a tale in which he won an argument by concocting a fake quotation. His successful deception led him to pronounce a maxim similar to this: Any invented quotation, spoken with confidence, will be accepted by listeners. Would you please explore this topic? Reply from …
Author Archives: quoteresearch
Quote Origin: A Person’s Biography Should Be Written by an Acute Enemy
Arthur James Balfour? Batman? Oscar Wilde? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Apparently, the crime-fighting superhero Batman is a quotation expert. I recall watching a rerun episode of the 1960s television series during which Batman was asked to identify the creator of an obscure quotation about biography, and he immediately answered correctly with the name Arthur …
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Quote Origin: Every Great Man Nowadays Has His Disciples, and It Is Always Judas Who Writes the Biography
Oscar Wilde? Arthur Pendenys? Arthur James Balfour? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: An ill-intentioned biography is indistinguishable from a character assassination. The famous wit Oscar Wilde crafted a pertinent line on this topic. Here are three versions: Every great man nowadays has his disciples, and …it is usually Judas who writes the biography. …it is …
Quote Origin: You Never Fail Until You Stop Trying
Albert Einstein? Florence Griffith Joyner? Thomas Edison? Louise Chandler Moulton? Mike Ditka? Elmer Burritt Bryan? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The following motivational remark has been attributed to the famous scientist Albert Einstein: You never fail until you stop trying. This saying has also been credited to the Olympic-medal-winning athlete Florence Griffith Joyner and the …
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Quote Origin: What the Brain Does By Itself Is Infinitely More Fascinating and Complex Than Any Response It Can Make To Chemical Stimulation
Ursula K. Le Guin? Elaine Partnow? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: People have employed psychoactive substances for centuries to pursue alertness, pleasure, insights, thrills, and sundry goals. Yet, a famous speculative fiction author asserted that the brain by itself could achieve infinitely fascinating responses without chemical intervention. Would you please help me to find a …
Quote Origin: You May Not Be Interested in War, But War Is Interested in You
Leon Trotsky? Fannie Hurst? James Burnham? O. H. Steiner? Marshall Berman? Michael Walzer? Donald Barthelme? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Several sayings have employed the following templates: (1) You may not be interested in X, but X is interested in you.(2) We may not be interested in X, but X is interested in us.(3) They …
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Quote Origin: While We Read a Novel, We Are Insane—Bonkers
Ursula K. Le Guin? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Apparently the acclaimed science fiction author Ursula K. Le Guin stated that the people who read her books were insane or bonkers. This is an odd thing to say. Did Le Guin really say this? Reply from Quote Investigator: In 1969 Ursula K. Le Guin published …
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Quote Origin: My Life Is My Message
Mohandas Gandhi? Charles E. Garst? Laura DeLany Garst? Jerome D. Davis? Karl Quimby? Deton J. Brooks? Harold Ehrensperger? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A visitor once met with a revered leader and asked for guidance: “Do you have a message for the people?” “My life is my message.” This reply has been attributed to Mahatma …
Quote Origin: It Is Good To Have an End To Journey Towards; But It Is the Journey That Matters, in the End
Ernest Hemingway? Ursula K. Le Guin? Lynn H. Hough? Question for Quote Investigator: It is natural to assign meaning or purpose to the terminus of a long journey, but the value truly lies within the journey itself. This notion has been expressed as follows: It is good to have an end to journey toward; but …
Quote Origin: You May Not Be Interested in Absurdity, But Absurdity Is Interested in You
Donald Barthelme? Fannie Hurst? Gore Vidal? Question for Quote Investigator: A wide variety of sayings have employed the following template: You may not be interested in X, but X is interested in you. Different terms have been substituted for X including: war, politics, dialectic, and strategy. In addition, variant templates have occurred: We may not …