Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
Attributed to Twain but never sourced, this quotation should not be regarded as authentic.
Misattributed
A collection of quotes on the topic of barrel, gun, use, likeness.
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
Attributed to Twain but never sourced, this quotation should not be regarded as authentic.
Misattributed
Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) English author
alt.fan.pratchett (30 May 1998) http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.pratchett/msg/31c9fbae84e0fc8c <br class="br">Usenet
Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) 16th President of the United States
Statement first attributed in the New York Herald, (September 18, 1863) in response to allegations his most successful general drank too much; as quoted in Wit and Wisdom of the American Presidents: A Book of Quotations (2000) by Joslyn T. Pine, p. 26.
When some one charged Gen. Grant, in the President’s hearing, with drinking too much liquor, Mr. Lincoln, recalling Gen. Grant’s successes, said that if he could find out what brand of whisky Grant drank, he would send a barrel of it to all the other commanders.
The New York Times, October 30, 1863
Major Eckert asked Mr. Lincoln if the story of his interview with the complainant against General Grant was true. The story was: a growler called on the President and complained bitterly of General Grant’s drunkenness. The President inquired very solicitously, if the man could tell him where the General got his liquor. The man really was very sorry but couldn’t say where he did get it. The President replied that he would like very much to find out so he could get a quantity of it and send a barrel to all his Major Generals. Mr. Lincoln said he had heard the story before and it would be very good if he had said it, but he did not, and he supposed it was charged to him to give it currency. He then said the original of this story was in King George’s time. Bitter complaints were made to the King against his General Wolfe in which it was charged that he was mad. “Well,” said the King, “I wish he would bite some of my other Generals then.
Authenticity of quote first refuted in “The Military Telegraph During the Civil War in the United States” by William R. Plum, (1882).
Disputed
Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America
It undermines an international order where the rights of peoples and nations are upheld and can’t simply be taken away by brute force.
2014, Remarks to the People of Estonia (September 2014)
Justin Trudeau (1971) 23rd Prime Minister of Canada; eldest son of Pierre Trudeau
Speaking about the Trans Mountain Pipeline, as quoted by The Guardian, Canada approves controversial Kinder Morgan oil pipeline https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/29/canada-approves-kinder-morgan-oil-pipeline-justin-trudeau (30 November 2016). <br class="br">2016
Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American politician, 26th president of the United States
Source: 1910s, Theodore Roosevelt — An Autobiography (1913), Ch. XI : The Natural Resources of the Nation, p. 386
Kurt Vonnegut (1922–2007) American writer
Paragraph 78 (p. 13 of Welcome to the Monkey House)
Welcome to the Monkey House (1968), "Harrison Bergeron" (1961)
Robert Baden-Powell (1857–1941) lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, founder and Chief Scout of the Scout Movement
"I bid you farewell."
Burying the Hatchet - BP Closing Address at the 3rd World Jamboree, Arrowe Park, 12 August 1929
Alex Jones (1974) American radio host, author, conspiracy theorist and filmmaker
"Antigun Activist David Hogg Attacks Infowars For Gay Frogs" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN4pTxI12Hc&feature=youtu.be&t=19m59s, The Alex Jones Show, March 2018.
Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America
2014, Address to the United Nations (September 2014)
Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America
2014, 25th Anniversary of Polish Freedom Day Speech (June 2014)
“With a gun barrel between your teeth, you speak only in vowels.”
Chuck Palahniuk (1962) American novelist, essayist
“Being neurotic is like shooting fish in a barrel, and missing them.”
Mignon McLaughlin (1913–1983) American journalist
The Complete Neurotic's Notebook (1981), Neurotics and neurosis
Tommy Douglas (1904–1986) Scottish-born Canadian politician
Speech delivered at Luther College, Regina, Saskatchewan, March 16, 1973.
Lori Nelson (1933) Actress, model
Interview with Lori Nelson http://www.westernclippings.com/interview/lorinelson_interview.shtml
“Democracy brought to others through the barrel of a gun is not democracy.”
Tzvetan Todorov (1939–2017) Bulgarian historian, philosopher, structuralist literary critic, sociologist and essayist
Hope and Memory: Reflections on the Twentieth Century (2003)
Frank Crane (1861–1928) American Presbyterian minister
Four Minute Essays Vol. 5 (1919), Clean Business
Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893–1930) Russian and Soviet poet, playwright, artist and stage and film actor
"A Conversation with the Inspector of Taxes about Poetry" (1926); translation from Chris Jenks Visual Culture (London: Routledge, 1995) pp. 86-7
Brion Gysin (1916–1986) Canadian artist
On the prose of William S. Burroughs in Here to Go: Planet R-101 (Interviews with Terry Wilson),Tuning in to the Multimedia Age, p. 159.
Captain Beefheart (1941–2010) musician
Pena, sung by Jeff Cotton, better known as Antennae Jimmy Semens
Trout Mask Replica (1969)
Karel Appel (1921–2006) Dutch painter, sculptor, and poet
Quote from an interview in 'Elsevier', 22 December, 1990; translated and quoted by Frank van der Ploeg, in 'The Low Countries'. Jaargang 12 (2004) http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/_low001200401_01/_low001200401_01_0027.php
Francis Escudero (1969) Filipino politician
2014, Speech: Sponsorship Speech for the FY 2015 National Budget
Susanna Kaysen book Girl, Interrupted
“I have nothing to say on any historical topic.”
Girl, Interrupted (1994)
Francis Escudero (1969) Filipino politician
Escudero, F. [Francis]. (2014, May 28). Retrieved from Official Facebook Page of Francis Escudero https://www.facebook.com/senchizescudero/posts/10152473011595610/ <br class="br">2014, Facebook
Rupert Murdoch (1931) Australian-American media mogul
Source: Murdoch praises Blair's 'courage' http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2003/feb/12/uk.iraqandthemedia
Hugo Chávez (1954–2013) 48th President of Venezuela
Opening remarks at the OPEC Summit, November 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7100175.stm <br class="br">2007
Francis Escudero (1969) Filipino politician
2014, Speech: Sponsorship Speech for the FY 2015 National Budget
George Galloway (1954) British politician, broadcaster, and writer
" Galloway v the US Senate: transcript of statement http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1616578,00.html", The Times, May 18, 2005 <br class="br">Testimony before the US Senate on May 17, 2005.
Ilana Mercer South African writer
"Let Milo Design The Wall" http://www.thelibertyconservative.com/let-milo-design-wall/ The Liberty Conservative, March 3, 2017 <br class="br">2010s, 2017
Dean Acheson book Present at the Creation: My Years in the State Department
Present at the Creation: My Years in the State Department (1969), Truman Doctrine, Cold War
Ron Paul (1935) American politician and physician
Republican Presidential Debate, Manchester, New Hampshire, June 5, 2007 http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0706/05/se.01.html <br class="br">2000s, 2006-2009
John Jakes (1932) American historical novelist and fantasy writer
North and South Trilogy (1982-1987), Answer the Drum
J. S. Holliday (1924–2006) American historian
About disagreements in which routes to take on the way to California
The West (1996)
Michael Savage (1942) U.S. radio talk show host, Commentator, and Author
Scorched Earth: Restoring the Country after Obama (2016)
Robert M. Pirsig book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Source: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1974), Ch. 29
“20. You cannot know wine by the barrell.”
George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh-born English poet, orator and Anglican priest
Jacula Prudentum (1651)
Ossip Zadkine (1890–1967) French sculptor
brothers Van Gogh
Source: 1940 - 1960, Les frères Van Gogh, origine et justification', c. 1955, p. 66
André Maurois (1885–1967) French writer
Les silences du colonel Bramble (The Silence of Colonel Bramble)
Francis Escudero (1969) Filipino politician
Interaksyon http://www.interaksyon.com/article/75681/senate-approves-2014-national-budget-on-third-and-final-reading <br class="br">2013
Francis Escudero (1969) Filipino politician
2014, Speech: Sponsorship Speech for the FY 2015 National Budget
Charles Stross book Iron Sunrise
Source: Iron Sunrise (2004), Chapter 10, “Murder by Numbers” (pp. 160-161)
James Jeffrey Roche (1847–1908) American journalist
Contentment, reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).
Francis Escudero (1969) Filipino politician
2014, Speech: Sponsorship Speech for the FY 2015 National Budget
Dan Aykroyd (1952) Canadian film actor
Response to question from reporters as to who are the enemy in the above comment.
[PEOPLE:Aykroyd a man of the world, but which one?, STEVE, EDDY, Orange County Register, Santa Ana, Calif., December 2, 2004]
Walt Kelly (1913–1973) American cartoonist
Pogo comic strip (1948 - 1975), Others
“I got a scope on the barrel thats a hammer with a camera”
Lil Wayne (1982) American rapper, singer, record executive and businessman
Bottles and Rockin J's Game Featuring DJ Khaled, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Fabolous, Lil Wayne, and Teyana Taylor
Official Mix tapes, Guest appearances
Louis Brownlow (1879–1963) American mayor
Source: "What Is an Administrator?" 1936, p. 6-7; As cited in Albert Lepawsky (1949), Administration, p. 658
Jason Whitlock (1967) American TV person
" Keep Rush Limbaugh Out of the NFL http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/20227", Fox Sports, October 13, 2009.
Gerald Ford (1913–2006) American politician, 38th President of the United States (in office from 1974 to 1977)
Speech as Vice President to the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, West Palm Beach, Florida (26 January 1974); entered into the Congressional Record vol. 120, p. 2044.
1970s
Robert Charles Wilson book Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America
Source: Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America (2009), pp. 110-111
Isabel II do Reino Unido (1926–2022) queen of the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and head of the Commonwealth of Nations
During a speech to President Gerald Ford celebrating the 200th anniversary of American independence. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Q
Robert Frost (1874–1963) American poet
" After Apple Picking http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/after-apple-picking-3/" <br class="br">1910s
George Horne (1730–1792) English churchman, writer and university administrator
Source: The Works of the Right Reverend George Horne, 1809, p. 220 ; As quoted in Allibone (1880)
Boris Johnson (1964) British politician, historian and journalist
Discussing his views on Africans and "Instant Carbohydrate Gratification" The Spectator 2 February 2002
2000s, 2002
Roger Ebert (1942–2013) American film critic, author, journalist, and TV presenter
Source: Life Itself : A Memoir (2011), Ch. 54 : How I Believe In God
Donald J. Trump (1946) 45th President of the United States of America
Source: 2010s, 2015, Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again (2015), p. 96
Ken Kern American writer
p, 125
Ken Kern's Masonry Stove (1983)
A.E. Housman (1859–1936) English classical scholar and poet
"The Application of Thought to Textual Criticism", a lecture delivered on August 4, 1921
Hugo Chávez (1954–2013) 48th President of Venezuela
Hugo Chávez at a press conference in New Delhi, after signing a cooperative agreement with India's hydrocarbon sector, March 2005.
2005
Edgar Wilson Nye (1850–1896) American journalist, who later became widely known as a humorist
The Century magazine (1892)
Frank Loesser (1910–1969) American songwriter
Song A Bushel and a Peck.
Marc Chagall (1887–1985) French artist and painter
Quote in Marc Chagall - the Russian years 1906 – 1922, editor Christoph Vitali, exhibition catalogue, Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, 1991, p. 23
1920's, My life (1922)
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (1919–1980) Shah of Iran
Oriana Fallaci (December 30, 1973), The Mystically Divine Shah of Iran (interview), Chicago Tribune
Interviews
“You don't spread democracy through the barrel of a gun.”
Helen Thomas (1920–2013) American author and journalist
As quoted in The Daily Show, (27 June 2006).
Jimmy Driftwood The Battle of New Orleans
"The Battle of New Orleans" (1936)
Context: We fired our cannon 'til the barrel melted down,
So we grabbed an alligator an' we fought another round.
We filled his head with cannon balls an' powdered his behind,
An' when they touched the powder off, the 'gator lost his mind.
“Don't bail. The best of the gold’s at the bottom of barrels of crap.”
Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture
The Last Lecture (2007)
“Every Communist must grasp the truth: Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
Mao Zedong (1893–1976) Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Chapter 5 https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/works/red-book/ch05.htm, originally published in Problems of War and Strategy (November 6, 1938), Selected Works, Vol. II, p. 224. <br class="br">Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong (The Little Red Book)
Helen Thomas (1920–2013) American author and journalist
Phone interview on The Majority Report, 2004-04-02
Greta Thunberg (2003) Swedish climate change activist
"School strike for climate - save the world by changing the rules" https://www.fridaysforfuture.org/greta-speeches#greta_speech_tedx, TEDxStockholm (24 November 2018) <br class="br">2018
Greta Thunberg book No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference
Declaration of Rebellion, Extinction Rebellion, Parliament Square, London, 31 October 2018.
Cited in No One is Too Small to Make a Difference, Penguin Books, 2019, page 12 (ISBN 9780141991740).
2018, "Almost Everything is Black and White" (October 2018)
Reinhard Heydrich (1904–1942) German Nazi official during World War II
Heydrich recited this, one of his father's operas, on his deathbed during one of Himmler's visits on 2 June 1941.
Source: [Lehrer, Steven, Steven Lehrer, 2000, 86, Wannsee House and the Holocaust, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 978-0-7864-0792-7, harv]
Richard Roxburgh (1962) Australian actor
Richard Roxburgh on Rake, Donald Trump and the 'immeasurable madness' of the nanny state https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/may/17/richard-roxburgh-on-rake-donald-trump-and-the-immeasurable-madness-of-the-nanny-state (May 17, 2016)
Mukesh Ambani (1957) Indian business magnate
Quoted in "Mukesh Dhirajlal Ambani, Anil Dhirajlal Ambani" in page=15
Michael Haneke (1942) Austrian film director and screenwriter
From "Film as catharsis". Haneke, Michael – "Film als Katharsis": in Austria (in)felix: zum österreichischem Film der 80er Jahre – Bono, Francesco (ed.), 1992. ISBN 3-901272-00-3
Erika Jayne (1969) American singer, actress and television personality
I mean, if they can do it I can do it. There's nothing that special about anyone, really.
Interview to L'Officiel (2018)
Hunter S. Thompson book Kingdom of Fear
2000s, Kingdom of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Star-crossed Child in the Final Days of the American Century (2004)