Quote Origin: The Cat Sat On the Mat Is Not a Story; the Cat Sat On the Dog’s Mat is the Beginning of an Exciting Story

John le Carré? Michael Dean? Austin Kleon? James Scott Bell? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A popular story requires tension, danger, and conflict. A top-selling author once summarized this viewpoint with an entertaining statement about animals: “The cat sat on the mat” is not a story. “The cat sat on the dog’s mat” is a …

Nothing Is More Impotent Than an Unread Library

John Waters? Austin Kleon? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Building a library is an enjoyable lifelong pursuit. Intellectually engaged people are often bibliomaniacs. Yet, many acquired volumes are never read. This behavior has been condemned and praised in two radically different statements that differ by a single word: (1) Nothing is more impotent than an unread …

That’s All Any of Us Are: Amateurs. We Don’t Live Long Enough To Be Anything Else

Charlie Chaplin? Nigel Bruce? Claire Bloom? Austin Kleon? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Before performing a new show or displaying a novel artwork it is natural to feel fear. Perhaps the audience will condemn you as an amateur. A famous comic actor crafted a brilliant remark about amateurism. It went something like this: Everyone is an …