Tracing Quotations
Stephen King? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Years ago the famous horror writer Stephen King was discussing how to become a successful artist, and he employed vivid figurative language that I can still recall. He indicated that talent was as common and cheap as table salt. His bracing insight was that success required great effort …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Talent Is a Dreadfully Cheap Commodity, Cheaper Than Table Salt”
Madam C. J. Walker? Sarah J. Walker? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The cosmetics entrepreneur Madam C. J. Walker once spoke to a journalist about her enormous accomplishments. She indicated that her pathway to success was not strewn with flowers, and her ascent required hard work and sleepless nights. Would please help me to find …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: There Is No Royal and Flower Strewn Road To Success”
Warren Buffett? Charlie Munger? Liz Claman? Becky Quick? Mark Cuban? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The value of bitcoin has fluctuated dramatically. Extreme language has been used to either praise or vilify this prominent digital currency. The superinvestors Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger have made harsh pronouncements. Apparently, Munger said bitcoin was rat poison, and …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Bitcoin Is Probably Rat Poison Squared”
Oscar Wilde? Felix Unger? Tony Randall? John Glick? Clarence L. Lollar? Dick West? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Making unfounded assumptions causes endless difficulties. A clever quip highlighting this problem is based on splitting a word into three parts: It is dangerous to assume because you might make an “ass” out of “u” and “me”. …
Theodore Roosevelt? Mark Twain? C. S. Lewis? Dwight Edwards? John Powell? Ray Cummings? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Comparing your status to others often produces envy and unhappiness. Here are four instances from a family of pertinent adages: Statesman Theodore Roosevelt, humorist Mark Twain, author C. S. Lewis, and religious figure Dwight Edwards have all …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Comparison Is the Thief of Joy”
The New York Times? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator A major U.S. newspaper supposedly published an article that claims riding a bicycle inevitably leads to general lunacy and homicidal mania. This assertion sounds satirical. Does this article actually exist? Reply from Quote Investigator: On August 12, 1894 “The New York Times” published an article titled …
Virginia Woolf? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Apparently, the prominent English writer Virginia Woolf thought that transmitting knowledge via lectures was a “vain and vicious system”. She also stated that lecturing was “an obsolete practice dating from the Middle Ages”. Would you please help me to find a citation? Reply from Quote Investigator: Virginia Woolf …
Albert A. Bartlett? William Dillinger? Paul A. Tipler? David Suzuki? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: What do the following have in common: computing power, internet communication traffic, human population, energy use? Each has experienced exponential growth. The full implications of such rapid changes are difficult to grasp. A scientist has asserted that the incomprehension of …
William Feather? John R. Gunn? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: When commencing a significant new endeavor in life it is tempting to wait until conditions are perfect, but that never occurs. Delays are often the result of indecisiveness, fear, or procrastination. Yet, one must move forward. The successful publisher and printer William Feather expressed the …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Conditions Are Never Just Right”
William Marcy Tweed? Boss Tweed? Thomas Nast? Zack Chandler? Napoleon Bonaparte? Joseph Stalin? Boris Bazhanov? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Remarks about the manipulation of vote tabulations have a long history. Apparently, a corrupt leader made a cynical pronouncement about voting. Here are three versions: Would you please explore this family of sayings? Reply from …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: As Long As I Count the Votes, What Are You Going To Do About It?”