WIST Quotations

Austen, Jane -- Letter (1808-06-15) to Cassandra Austen

Dave — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 17:10:45 +0000

You know how interesting the purchase of a sponge-cake is to me.

Jane Austen (1775-1817) English author
Letter (1808-06-15) to Cassandra Austen
(Source)

First recorded use of the term "sponge-cake" in English.

Barry, Dave -- “Peace on Earth, but No Parking”

Dave — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 21:31:08 +0000

Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space.

Dave Barry (b. 1947) American humorist, author, columnist
“Peace on Earth, but No Parking”

Westlake, Donald -- (Attributed)

Dave — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 19:15:33 +0000

As we struggle with shopping lists and invitations, compounded by December’s bad weather, it is good to be reminded that there are people in our lives who are worth this aggravation, and people to whom we are worth the same.

Donald E. Westlake (1933-2008) American writer
(Attributed)

Adams, Douglas -- Last Chance to See, ch. 3 (1990)

Dave — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:16:27 +0000

Most of the other shops were in fact impossible to identify. When a shop appeared to sell a mixture of ghetto blasters, socks, soap and chickens, it didn’t seem unreasonable to go in and ask if they’d got any paper or toothpaste stuck away in one of their shelves as well, but they looked at me as if I was completely mad. Couldn’t I see that this was a ghetto blaster, socks, soap and chicken shop?

Douglas Adams (1952-2001) English author, humorist, screenwriter
Last Chance to See, ch. 3 (1990)