WIST Quotations

Thurber, James -- Letter (1961-07-05) to Marianna Brown

Dave — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:40:20 +0000

The past is an old armchair in the attic, the present an ominous ticking sound, and the future is anybody’s guess.

James Thurber (1894–1961) American humorist, cartoonist, writer
Letter (1961-07-05) to Marianna Brown
(Source)

Atwood, Margaret -- “Hair Jewellery,” Dancing Girls (1982)

Dave — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 19:31:28 +0000

I’ve never understood why people consider youth a time of freedom and joy. It’s probably because they have forgotten their own.

Margaret Atwood (b. 1939) Canadian writer, literary critic, environmental activist
“Hair Jewellery,” Dancing Girls (1982)
(Source)

Ivins, Molly -- Essay (1986-03), “How to Survive Reagan,” The Progressive, Vol. 50, No. 3

Dave — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 20:20:41 +0000

Things are not getting worse; things have always been this bad. Nothing is more consoling than the long perspective of history. It will perk you up no end to go back and read the works of progressives past. You will learn therein that things back then were also terrible, and what’s more, they were always getting worse. This is most inspiriting.

Molly Ivins (1944–2007) American writer, political columnist [Mary Tyler Ivins]
Essay (1986-03), “How to Survive Reagan,” The Progressive, Vol. 50, No. 3
(Source)

Collected in Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? (1991).