“Unless a reviewer has the courage to give you unqualified praise, I say ignore the bastard.”
John Steinbeck (1902–1968) American writer
As quoted by John Kenneth Galbraith in the Introduction to The Affluent Society (1977 edition)
Source: Quote in Margaret McManus, "Noël Coward a 'Blithe Spirit' — in Sunny Jamaica", The Des Moines Register (January 8, 1956), Section: Iowa TV Magazine, p. 5
“Unless a reviewer has the courage to give you unqualified praise, I say ignore the bastard.”
John Steinbeck (1902–1968) American writer
As quoted by John Kenneth Galbraith in the Introduction to The Affluent Society (1977 edition)
“I don't want 'constructive criticism'. I want praise.”
Auberon Waugh (1939–2001) Author
Cited in Times Literary Supplement, 6 March 2009.
Bhumibol Adulyadej (1927–2016) King of Thailand
Source: "King Bhumibol's Reign" in The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/21/magazine/king-bhumibol-s-reign.html (21 May 1989)
“Criticize by category — praise by name.”
Warren Buffett (1930) American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist
[CNCB's Becky Quick interviews Warren Buffett (2/25/19), February 25, 2019, CNBC Television, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqc56crs56s] (quote at 48:00 of 2:00:00)
Geoffrey Hill (1932–2016) English poet and professor
Interview, The Paris Review No. 80, Spring 2000 http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/730/the-art-of-poetry-no-80-geoffrey-hill
Mignon McLaughlin (1913–1983) American journalist
The Complete Neurotic's Notebook (1981), Women & men
“People ask you for criticism, but they only want praise.”
W. Somerset Maugham book Of Human Bondage
Source: Of Human Bondage (1915), Ch. 50
John Keats (1795–1821) English Romantic poet
Letter to James Hessey (October 9, 1818)
Letters (1817–1820)
“Too many people’s careers are ruined by praise instead of propelled by criticism.”
Jay Samit (1961) American businessman
Future Proofing You (2021)