Tracing Quotations
Edgar Allan Poe? Richard Rowland? Terry Ramsaye? Laurence Stallings? H. L. Mencken? William Gibbs McAdoo? Jack Oakie? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The leaders of a group often face a variety of criticisms. Harsh detractors employ a vivid metaphor from the domain of mental health. Here are two examples: This barb has often been aimed …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: The Lunatics Have Taken Charge of the Asylum”
Groucho Marx? Jack Oakie? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: Encountering a black cat may bring you good luck or bad luck according to a complicated rule dictated by superstitious beliefs. The nature of the omen depends on whether the cat was traveling from left to right or the reverse. It also depends on whether the cat …
Continue reading “A Black Cat Crossing Your Path Signifies That the Animal Is Going Somewhere”