Tracing Quotations
George Bernard Shaw? Brendan Behan? Reba Lombard? Arthur Caesar? George Jean Nathan? Erskine Johnson? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A remarkably large number of utterances from the prominent Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw appear in quotation collections. Apparently, he once humorously commented on his quoteworthiness. Here are three versions: Did Shaw really make one of …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: I Often Quote Myself. It Adds Spice To My Conversation”
H. L. Mencken? George Jean Nathan? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The famous curmudgeon H. L. Mencken asserted that the most daring liars were rewarded with public admiration. I do not recall the precise phrasing Mencken employed. Would you please help me to find a citation? Reply from Quote Investigator: In 1922 “The Smart Set” …
H. L. Mencken? George Jean Nathan? Nellie McClung? Beverly Gray? John Cleese? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Here are four versions of a mordant definition of puritanism: This quip has been attributed to the prominent journalist Henry Louis Mencken. Would you please explore this topic? Reply from Quote Investigator: In January 1925 “The American Mercury” …
H. L. Mencken? George Jean Nathan? Errol Flynn? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: During the December holiday season imbibing is commonplace. “Mrs. Byrne’s Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words” lists ‘ombibulous’ with the following definition: someone who drinks everything (H. L. Mencken). How is the famous commentator and curmudgeon Mencken connected to this word? …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: I Am Omnibibulous, or, More Simply, Ombibulous”
Dorothy Parker? George Jean Nathan? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The trenchant prose of Dorothy Parker has always impressed me. Reportedly she once lacerated a writer who was receiving a superfluity of undeserved accolades with the following: He is a writer for the ages — the ages of four to eight. Is this Parker’s joke? …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: He’s a Writer for the Ages—For the Ages of Four to Eight”
Virginia Woolf? Molière? Ferenc Molnár? Philippe Halsman? Ad Reinhardt? Question for Quote Investigator: Recently I was invited to conduct a workshop about writing and creativity. While reviewing materials on this topic I repeatedly came across a humorous quotation that pertains to commercialism. Here is one version: Writing is like sex. First you do it for …
Groucho Marx? Walter Winchell? George S. Kaufman? George Jean Nathan? Question for Quote Investigator: A critic once provided a hilariously nonchalant evaluation of a theatrical production: I did not like it, but perhaps this judgment is unfair. I saw it under adverse conditions — the curtain was up. This statement has been credited to comedian …