Sir Richard Steele on Reading
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Sir Richard Steele
Edmond de Goncourt on Art
“A painting in a museum hears more ridiculous opinions than anything else in the world.” Edmond de Goncourt French artist & novelist (1822 – 1896)
Theodore Roosevelt on Criticism
“It’s not the critic that counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.” Theodore Roosevelt
Saint Paul the Apostle on Money
“People who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them.” Saint Paul the Apostle, The Bible (1 Timothy 6:10)
George Orwell on Equality
“All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.” George Orwell, Animal Farm English essayist, novelist, & satirist (1903 – 1950)
Evan Esar on Statistics
“Statistics: The only science that enables different experts using the same figures to draw different conclusions.” Evan Esar, Esar’s Comic Dictionary American Humorist (1899 – 1995)
Zig Ziglar on Work
“A lot of people quit looking for work as soon as they find a job.” Zig Ziglar
Winston Churchill on Politics
“When I am abroad, I always make it a rule never to criticize or attack the government of my own country. I make up for lost time when I come home.” Sir Winston Churchill British politician (1874 – 1965)
Josh Billings on Life
“Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.” Josh Billings
Albert Einstein on Science
“The important thing is not to stop questioning.” Albert Einstein US (German-born) physicist (1879 – 1955)
Antoine de Saint-Exupery on Children
“Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery, “The Little Prince”, 1943 French writer (1900 – 1944)
Jose Marti on Suffering
“Man has to suffer. When he has no real afflictions, he invents some.” Jose Marti
John Ciardi on Politics
“The Constitution gives every American the inalienable right to make a damn fool of himself.” John Ciardi US poet (1916 – 1986)
Madeleine L’Engle Cynical Quote
“It takes too much energy to be against something unless it’s really important.” Madeleine L’Engle US juvenile science fiction novelist (1918 – )
T. S. Eliot on Humanity
“Humankind cannot stand very much reality.” T. S. Eliot British (US-born) critic, dramatist & poet (1888 – 1965)
Harry S Truman Cynical Quote
“If you cannot convince them, confuse them.” Harry S Truman 33rd president of US (1884 – 1972)
Sun Tzu on Opportunities
“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” Sun Tzu Chinese general & military strategist (~400 BC)
Johnny Carson on Politics
“Democracy means that anyone can grow up to be president, and anyone who doesn’t grow up can be vice president.” Johnny Carson US comedian & television host (1925 – 2005)
Frank Herbert on Knowledge
“The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand.” Frank Herbert US science fiction novelist (1920 – 1986)
Arthur Rubinstein on Life and Love
“I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.” Arthur Rubinstein US (Polish-born) composer & pianist (1886 – 1982)
Oscar Wilde on Seriousness
“Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow.” Oscar Wilde Irish dramatist, novelist, & poet (1854 – 1900)
Albert Einstein on Logic and Imagination
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” Albert Einstein
Jerome K. Jerome on Work
“I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.” Jerome K. Jerome, “Three Men in a Boat”, 1889 British humor writer (1859 – 1927)
Thomas A. Edison on Friendship
“I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.” Thomas A. Edison
George F. Will on Pessimism
“The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.” George F. Will US editor, commentator, & columnist (1941 – )
Salvador Dali on Success
“The thermometer of success is merely the jealousy of the malcontents.” Salvador Dali
Samuel Johnson Funny Quote
“Wine makes a man more pleased with himself; I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others.” Samuel Johnson English author, critic, & lexicographer (1709 – 1784)
Burt Munro on Dreams
“If you don’t follow through on your dreams, you might as well be a vegetable.” Burt Munro
Elbert Hubbard on Experience
“Progress comes from the intelligent use of experience.” Elbert Hubbard
Thomas Jefferson on Peace
“Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it.” Thomas Jefferson
Winston Churchill on Art
“Without tradition, art is a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Without innovation, it is a corpse.” Winston Churchill
Ted Turner on Sports
“Sports is like a war without the killing.” Ted Turner
Oliver Wendell Holmes on the Results of our Actions
“A hundred years after we are gone and forgotten, those who never heard of us will be living with the results of our actions.” Oliver Wendell Holmes, U.S. Supreme Court justice
Thomas Merton on Education
“The least of learning is done in the classrooms.” Thomas Merton US religious author, clergyman, & Trappist monk (1915 – 1968)-
Robertson Davies on Children
“A happy childhood has spoiled many a promising life.” Robertson Davies, “What’s Bred in the Bone”
Bertrand Russell on Injustice
“In the part of this universe that we know there is great injustice, and often the good suffer, and often the wicked prosper, and one hardly knows which of those is the more annoying.” Bertrand Russell British author, mathematician, & philosopher (1872 – 1970)
John C. Dvorak on Computers and Business
“In all large corporations, there is a pervasive fear that someone, somewhere is having fun with a computer on company time. Networks help alleviate that fear.” John C. Dvorak
Ambrose Bierce Philosophical Quote
“Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum (I think that I think, therefore I think that I am.)” Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary US author & satirist (1842 – 1914)
Peter Ustinov on Humor
“Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.” Peter Ustinov English actor & author (1921 – 2004)
Les Brown on Success
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” Les Brown
Russell Baker on Misery
“Misery no longer loves company. Nowadays it insists on it.” Russell Baker US columnist & journalist (1925 – )
Gordon R. Dickson on Advice
“Some people like my advice so much that they frame it upon the wall instead of using it.” Gordon R. Dickson
H. L. Mencken on Age & Wisdom
“The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom.” H. L. Mencken US editor (1880 – 1956)
Dean Acheson on Change
“Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.” Dean Acheson
Eugene McCarthy on Politics
“It is dangerous for a national candidate to say things that people might remember.” Eugene McCarthy US politician (1916 – 2005)
Arthur Schopenhauer Cynical Quote
“Every nation ridicules other nations, and all are right.” Arthur Schopenhauer German philosopher (1788 – 1860)
Paul Valery on Dreams
“The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” Paul Valery
Mark Twain Cynical Quote on Politics
“Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.” Mark Twain US humorist, novelist, short story author, & wit (1835 – 1910)
Marie Curie on Science & Understanding
“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” Marie Skłodowska-Curie Polish chemist & physicist (1867 – 1934)
Christopher Morley on Imagination
“Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity.” Christopher Morley US author & journalist (1890 – 1957)
Daniel Webster on Politics
“A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures.” Daniel Webster US diplomat, lawyer, orator, & politician (1782 – 1852)
Ian Fleming on Time
“I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them.” Ian Fleming British novelist (1908 – 1964)
Antoine de Saint-Exupery on War
“War is not an adventure. It is a disease. It is like typhus.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Sun Tzu on War and Strategy
“To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.” Sun Tzu Chinese general & military strategist (~400 BC)
Frank Wilczek on Physics
“In physics, you don’t have to go around making trouble for yourself – nature does it for you.” Frank Wilczek American physicist (1951 – )
Robert Copeland on Committees
“To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three men, two of whom are absent.” Robert Copeland
Louise Beal on Society
“Love thy neighbour as yourself, but choose your neighbourhood.” Louise Beal
Confucius on Wisdom
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” Confucius
Edith Wharton on Happiness
“There are lots of ways of being miserable, but there’s only one way of being comfortable, and that is to stop running round after happiness. If you make up your mind not to be happy there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a fairly good time.” Edith Wharton, The Last Asset, 1904 US novelist (1862 – 1937)
Jeffery F. Chamberlain on America
“In a country as big as the United States, you can find fifty examples of anything.” Jeffery F. Chamberlain
