July 31, 2011

How long should a man's legs be? Long enough to touch the ground.
J. D. Salinger

Jerome Davide Salinger, author of "The Catcher in the Rye", did not
learn that his mother, Miriam (originally Marie), was not Jewish until
after his bar mitzvah.  He was kicked out of high school once and
dropped out of college twice.

July 30, 2011

"Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it." Harper Lee 

Nelle Harper Lee once received a gift of a year's wages from her
friends Michael and Joy Brown so that she could pursue her dream of
writing.  During this period, she wrote "To Kill A Mockingbird" which,
when published, became an instant bestseller.

July 29, 2011

Had a hard time picking just one quote, so here are three from Ernest
Hemingway


"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to
keep your mouth shut."

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with
his fools."

"As you get older it is harder to have heroes, but it is sort of
necessary."


Ernest Hemingway served as an ambulance driver for the red cross in
Italy during WWI, where he was badly injured by a mortar explosion. 
During his six month recovery, he met and fell in love with a red
cross nurse.  She later abandoned him before their wedding and married
an Italian soldier.  Supposedly, this incident caused Hemingway to
leave many of his future brides before they had a chance to leave him.

July 28, 2011

"A gentleman can live through anything." William Faulkner 

William Cuthbert Faulkner, a member of SAE fraternity at Ole Miss, was
greatly influenced by Caroline Barr, the African-American woman who
raised him from infancy.  It was the life-long relationship he had
with her that influenced his writing, directing its focus to the
politics of sexuality and race.

July 27, 2011

"Canada was built on dead beavers."  Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood, Canadian author of "The Handmaid's Tale", discovered
she had a passion for writing at the age of six, but did not attend
school full time until eighth grade.

July 26, 2011

"A faithful friend is a strong defense; And he that hath found him
hath found a treasure."  Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott shared a birthday with her father.  She was home
schooled by her father but also received lessons from close family
friends including Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel
Hawthorne, and Margaret Fuller.

July 25, 2011

"Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence."  Vince Lombardi.

Vince Lombardi, head coach of the Green Bay Packers, originally
studied to become a priest at Cathedral College of the Immaculate
Conception but dropped out after four years of the six year program.