December 06

"Know, or listen to those who know."

Baltasar Gracian
(01/08/1601 – 12/06/1658)
Spanish philosopher ("El Criticón")

"I have no wish for a second husband. l had enough of the first. I like to have my own way to lie down mistress, and get up master."

Susanna Strickland Moodie
(12/06/1803 – 04/08/1885)
English-Canadian pioneer, writer ("Roughing It in the Bush")

"There are worse things than a lie... I have found... that it may be well to choose one sin in order that another may be shunned."

Anthony Trollope
(04/24/1815 – 12/06/1882)
English writer ("Chronicles of Barsetshire")

"It is stern work, it is perilous work to thrust your hand in the sun
And pull out a spark of immortal flame to warm the hearts of men."

Joyce Kilmer
(12/06/1886 – 07/30/1918)
US writer ("Summer of Love")

"We can be bought, but we can't be bored."

Lynn Fontanne
(12/06/1887 – 07/30/1983)
English-US actor ("The Guardsman")

"Neither current events nor history show that the majority rule, or ever did rule."

Jefferson Davis
(06/03/1808 – 12/06/1889)
US (Confederate) President

"Poetry is like fish: if it's fresh, it's good; if it's stale, it's bad; and if you're not certain, try it on the cat."

Sir Osbert Sitwell
(12/06/1892 – 05/04/1969)
English writer ("Before the Bombardment")
(brother of Dame Edith)

"The baby romped on my lap like a short stout salmon."

Sylvia Townsend Warner
(12/06/1893 – 05/01/1978)
English writer ("Lolly Willowes; or The Loving Huntsman")

"One can be very happy without demanding that others agree with them."

Ira Gershwin
(12/06/1896 – 08/17/1983)
US lyricist ("Someone to Watch Over Me")
(brother of George)

"I don't like to work with assistants. I'm already one too many; the camera alone would be enough."

Alfred Eisenstaedt
(12/06/1898 – 08/23/1995)
German photographer ("V-J Day in Times Square")

"A topologist is one who doesn't know the difference between a doughnut and a coffee cup." *

John L. Kelley
(12/06/1916 – 11/26/1999)
US topologist

"I'm beginning to understand myself. But it would have been great to be able to understand myself when I was 20 rather than when I was 82."

Dave Brubeck
(12/06/1920 – 12/05/2012)
US composer, musician ("Blue Rondo à la Turk")
(died near his birthday)

"I'm a writer, a poet, which is to say I always did that. My life was totally in my head, and I wrote about it."

David Ossman
(12/06/1936 – )
US writer, comic, actor (Firesign Theatre)

"The blues is like this. You lay down some night and you turn from one side of the bed to the other: all night long. It's not too cold in that bed, and it ain't too hot. But what's the matter? The blues has got you."

Leadbelly
(01/20/1888 – 12/06/1949)
US singer ("Goodnight Irene")

"For God's sake! What is that?"

Harold Ross
(11/06/1892 – 12/06/1951)
US writer, editor ("The New Yorker") , on seeing Truman Capote for the first time

"I almost got a girl pregnant in high school. It's costing me a fortune to keep the rabbit on a life-support system."

Wil Shriner
(12/06/1953 – )
US comic

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer."

Honus Wagner
(02/24/1874 – 12/06/1955)
US baseball player

"Last year I went fishing with Salvador Dali. He was using a dotted line. He caught every other fish."

Steven Wright
(12/06/1955 – )
US comic ("Just for Laughs")

"It's not normal for drummers to sing. I tried it, it's awful."

Rick Buckler
(12/06/1955 – )
English drummer (the Jam)
(also see Paul Weller)

"You wiggle to the left, you wiggle to the right,
you do the Ooby Dooby with all your might."

Roy Orbison
(04/23/1936 – 12/06/1988)
US singer, songwriter ("Oh, Pretty Woman")

"As society advances, the standard of poverty rises."

James Reston
(11/03/1909 – 12/06/1995)
Scottish journalist ("The Artillery of the Press")

"To err is human; to purr feline."

Robert Byrne
(05/22/1930 – 12/06/2016)
US billiards maven, quote collector (His "The 637 Best Things Anybody Ever Said" is mainly what got me started on this web site)