G. K. Chesterton? Charles Poore? Apocryphal?
Question for Quote Investigator: Even the best writers occasionally pen passages of execrable prose. Apparently, a prominent author once made the following observation:
You could compile the worst book in the world entirely out of selected passages from the best writers in the world.
Would you please help me to determine the creator of this insightful remark?
Reply from Quote Investigator: In 1907 English writer and critic Gilbert K. Chesterton published a column discussing French adventure novelist Alexandre Dumas père in “The Daily News” of London. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:1
Shakespeare and Dickens resemble Dumas, not only in the fact that their bad parts are very bad, but in the fact that their bad parts are very long. When they began talking nonsense they went at it steadily, and there was no doubt about it. You could compile, I should think, the worst book in the world entirely out of selecting passages from the best writers in the world.
Thus, Chesterton’s original statement included the verbose phrase “I should think”.
Below are additional selected citations in chronological order.
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