Don’t Get Caught Misquoting…
…as there’s an author ready to pounce. Ralph Keyes’new book, The Quote Verifier: Who Said What, Where, and When, excerpted here in today’s Washington Post, looks at famous speakers and how they mangled quotes in speeches, sometimes to good effect. John F. Kennedy is the subject of the Post excerpt, and Keyes says that, in addition to being well-spoken, “Kennedy was also… a misquoter of eloquence, who showed how creative and unreliable memory can be when using comments others have uttered.” Check out the misquotes — including many that improved upon the original — and read the book to reconsider the sources you are using in speeches and conversation. We like an authoritative source, Bartleby, where you can search several collections of quotations and their correct citations. Then add Keyes’ book to your reference shelf; it’s out this month from St. Martin’s Press.
posted by dgr