Marilyn vos Savant Literature Quotations

Know how and how much to tip people who expect gratuities, even in the case of poor service.

Scientists and creationists are always at odds, of course.

Know which officials are voted into office and which are appointed, and by whom.

Know what happens when an individual declares bankruptcy and how it affects his or her life.

Know how to behave at a fine restaurant, which is a telltale measure of social maturity.

Be able to cite three good qualities of every relative or acquaintance that you dislike.

Be able to suffer wearing a necktie or slightly high heels for an entire evening without complaint or early removal.

Be able to recognize when you're reading or hearing material biased to your own side.

When our spelling is perfect, it's invisible. But when it's flawed, it prompts strong negative associations.

At first, I only laughed at myself. Then I noticed that life itself is amusing. I've been in a generally good mood ever since.

Be able to describe anything visual, such as a street scene, in words that convey your meaning.

Know the function of a fuse box and the appearance of a tripped circuit breaker.

Know how your representatives stand on major national or state issues.

Be able to sneeze without sounding ridiculous. That means neither stifling yourself or spraying your immediate vicinity.

Know about the appeals process, especially in the case of the most serious crimes.

Be able to analyze statistics, which can be used to support or undercut almost any argument.

Many people feel they must multi-task because everybody else is multitasking, but this is partly because they are all interrupting each other so much.

Be able to draw an illustration as least well enough to get your point across to another person.

Know how to garnish food so that it is more appealing to the eye and even more flavorful than before.

Be able to meet any deadline, even if your work is done less well than it would be if you had all the time you would have preferred.

While you're writing, you can't concentrate nearly as well on what the speaker is saying.

Have you ever noticed that when you must struggle to hear something, you close your eyes?

Be able to blow out a dinner candle without sending wax flying across the table.

Although spoken English doesn't obey the rules of written language, a person who doesn't know the rules thoroughly is at a great disadvantage.

Be in the habit of getting up bright and early on the weekends. Why waste such precious time in bed?

Be able to defend your arguments in a rational way. Otherwise, all you have is an opinion.