James Grover Thurber, born on December 8, 1894, in Columbus, Ohio, was a celebrated American humorist, cartoonist, and author. He rose to prominence as a key contributor to The New Yorker, where his witty essays, short stories, and illustrations offered sharp insights into human nature. Thurber’s notable achievements include creating the enduring character Walter Mitty in his famous story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” and authoring books like “My Life and Hard Times.” He won the American Academy of Arts and Letters award and influenced generations with his blend of humor and satire. The quotes here are sourced from his books, essays, and interviews, focusing on themes of life. This list presents 15 of James Thurber’s quotes about life, highlighting his reflective and humorous perspective.
Quote List
1. “Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility.” (Essay, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” 1939)
2. “Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness.” (Book, “Further Fables for Our Time,” 1956)
3. “Man is flying too fast for a world that is round.” (Book, “The Thurber Carnival,” 1945)
4. “The most dangerous thing in the world is to try to leap a chasm in two jumps.” (Book, “Let Your Mind Alone!,” 1937)
5. “Life is a series of commas, not periods.” (Book, “My Life and Hard Times,” 1933)
6. “We all have flaws, and mine is being wounded by unfounded criticism.” (Interview, The New Yorker, 1940)
7. “In the end, we all turn out to be more or less like the people we pretended to be.” (Book, “The Male Animal,” 1940)
8. “The only rules comedy can tolerate are those of taste, and the only limitations those of libel.” (Essay, “The Owl in the Attic,” 1931)
9. “Life’s a tough proposition, and the first hundred years are the hardest.” (Attributed in interviews, n.d.)
10. “I think that maybe if women and men understand each other a little better, there would be more peace.” (Interview, Life Magazine, 1960)
11. “One martini is all right, two is too many, three is not enough.” (Book, “The Years with Ross,” 1959)
12. “The wit makes fun of other persons; the satirist makes fun of the world; the humorist makes fun of himself.” (Essay, “Preface to a Life,” 1934)
13. “It’s a naive domestic Burgundy without any breeding, but I think you’ll be amused by its presumption.” (Book, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” 1939)
14. “All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.” (Book, “Further Fables for Our Time,” 1956)
15. “The path to humor is often through pain, and life is full of both.” (Interview, The Paris Review, 1955)
These quotes from James Thurber offer a warm, witty lens on life’s ups and downs, revealing his deep understanding of human quirks and the absurdities we all face. They show a man who used humor to cope with and comment on existence, blending insight with lightheartedness. Thurber’s words remind us to embrace life’s imperfections with a smile. What do these quotes mean to you, or which one resonates most? Share your thoughts in the comments below.