Quotations and Literature Forum

It would be interesting to learn how the "users" of this form developed an interest in quotations. My interest in quotations sprouted in 1984. As it happened, I found a yearly/weekly/daily appointment/planning book that had a quotation for each day of the year. The book was filled with wit and wisdom. I soon became fasinated with the practicality of it. One of my closest friends (and fishing buddy) was a lawyer. (We had roomed together one quarter during college.) Prior to my finding the book, most of my wit and wisdom was gained from his vocabulary of classical quotations and original humor. I also began working as a Land Buyer in 1984. Since I was meeting with people who were often hostile the quotes often helped me to break the ice with people during initial contact.

The same year I discovered A Fine & Pleasant Misery, by Patrick McManus. I was so enchanted with the humor that I bought a copy for my fishing buddy. His wife told me that she had never heard him laugh out loud so much while reading (unitl I gave him the book). He would read a book from cover to cover almost every night. I could scarcely name a book that he had not read. Consequently my interest in extra curricular reading was cultivated as a result of his influence.

I started collecting quotations when (also somewhere near 1984) I found a few I liked in Omni Magazine (the "Wired" of the 80s). Probably the first 50-100 quotes in my collection were from Omni, and probably 90% of them were misquoted.

An earlier influence were a couple of speakers' quotation books my parents had, "The Road Not Taken" and "The Road Less Travelled". (Those have been discussed here before, I think.) Those were probably my first exposure to quotations, I think I read them when I was about 12.

I also used to skim the "Reader's Digest" every month for quotations.

I vaguely remember a "Murphy's Law Calendar" long ago that had a few quotations that sparked my interest too.

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Michael Moncur
Owner and maintainer, The Quotations Page

The spark that lit the fire of my addiction was a simple search on the Internet for the origins of "all hell broke loose."
I was led to a website that had discussion forums much like this one, and posted my request for help to confirm that it was from Milton.
I was struck by the friendly comraderie and helpful nature of the regulars there, and I was hooked.

Although there was the charecter in the Dune series of books by Frank Herbert, I think his name was Gurney Halleck, and I always wanted to be able to entertain with a few notes and passages.

Also there was a daily quote in my school that always was designed to be motivational, and then once a week we would get a humorous one as well.

Actaully this site is probably my biggest reason for a passion for quotes. I think I can state that if I hadn't found this site while trying to help a friend with a report I doubt I would have the interest I have now.