Sarah in Fleming Island, Florida, is curious about the saying sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you, which suggests “it’s a dog-eat-dog world,” or “eat or be eaten,” or more gently, “you win some, you lose some.” Garson...
Henry James is often credited with the following quotation, or a version of it: Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind. If you’re ever unsure of the provenance of a...
Many Yogisms, the quips associated with New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra, were probably around before they became attached to his name. Linguist Garson O’Toole’s site Quote Investigator traces the origins of much-quoted lines and tests familiar...
Here’s a widely applicable book review: The covers of this book are too far apart. It’s attributed to Ambrose Bierce, although it’s unlikely he actually came up with it. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Misattributed Book Review”...