The Quote Verifier: Who Said What, Where, and WhenOur language is full of hundreds of quotations that are often cited but seldom confirmed. Ralph Keyes's The Quote Verifier considers not only classic misquotes such as "Nice guys finish last," and "Play it again, Sam," but more surprising ones such as "Ain't I a woman?" and "Golf is a good walk spoiled," as well as the origins of popular sayings such as "The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings," "No one washes a rented car," and "Make my day." |
From inside the book
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... stories behind the quotes, stories that are often surprisingly funny and always interesting.” —Sol Steinmetz, coauthor of The Life of Language “Nice Guys Finish Seventh established Ralph Keyes as one of our leading quote sleuthers. With ...
... story, but one he had already heard, featuring Charles Dickens and a local wit. “I find every community has its lady who is remarkably bright in her repartee,” Wilde added, “and she is always credited with the latest bon mot going the ...
... story “Logic of Empire,” one character says to another, “You have attributed conditions to villainy that simply result from stupidity.” Verdict: Revised Heinlein. “He has no more BACKBONE than a chocolate éclair.” In early 2005, The New ...
... story, however, John McNulty wrote about a couple of characters: “They were talking about a certain hangout and Johnny said, 'Nobody goes there any more. It's too crowded.'” “It ain't over 'til it's over.” Yogi is renowned for saying ...
... stories he tells, by his gait, by the motion of his eye, by the look of his house, of his chamber; for nothing on earth is solitary but every thing hath affinities infinite.” This has been long known. Digging deeper, however, a ...
Contents
1 | |
BIBLIOGRAPHY | 259 |
SOURCE NOTES | 267 |
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | 345 |
KEY WORD INDEX | 347 |
NAME INDEX | 375 |
SIDEBAR INDEX | 389 |