Quotations and Literature Forum

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."

My collection lists this as Ellen Parr. I received an email suggesting that it could be Dorothy Parker.

After a bit of research it looks like many people are attributing this to Ellen Parr, but they may be duplicating my error long ago. A few people attribute it to Parker, but they seem suspicious since many of the lists are exactly the same and nothing authoritative lists it.

Meanwhile, I can't find any record of a (famous) Ellen Parr at all - 90% of the references to that name on the Web are in conjunction with this same quote.

Any opinions? I guess I'll have to crack open some books.

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Michael Moncur
Owner and maintainer, The Quotations Page

My impression, after having looked around a bit on the Internet, is that a vast majority of citings give it to Parr.
Here's a theory. I think it could be more than just a coincidence that it is attributed to Parker, because on several lists that were alphabetical by the author's last name, viola! Parker was just before Parr.
I have noticed that it is easy to mistakenly take the name just before a quote as the attribution (as some lists do it that way, but most list the name after the quote).
I do a lot of "tracking" down quotes (sort of a hobby I guess) and I am often amazed that a good one-liner will be attributed to someone that has absolutely no other claim to fame except that one-liner. How do these things come into existence is a mystery I know I will never solve.
Here's one webpage that looks fairly reputable that gives it to Parr.
http://www.teacheruniverse.com/news/quotes.html

For a chuckle, check out these "folding" quotes
http://www.overclockers.com.au/folding/Quotes.htm

OK, that was my impression too so I'm sticking with Parr for now. I never noticed the alphabetical coincidence - that probably explains it.

I tend to be suspicious of any name that only occurs in conjunction with a one-liner... It's amazing how well one person's error can multiply, and I think that's what happens much of the time. \

For example, do a search for "George Ada" and you'll find hundreds of pages that include the quote "Anyone can win unless there happens to be a second entry" with this attribution. As far as I can tell these all evolved from the (recently corrected) typo for "George Ade" in my collection.

_________________
Michael Moncur
Owner and maintainer, The Quotations Page