Test, Hold a Job, Arrangement, Chromosomes, Bella Abzug

“The test for whether or not you can hold a job should not be the arrangement of your chromosomes.” - Bella Abzug, three-term U.S. Congresswoman from New York, known both for the unconventional contents of her cranium and her penchant for placing ladylike chapeaux on it.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 55.

Reality, Leading Cause of Stress, Jane Wagner, Lily Tomlin

“Reality is the leading cause of stress for those in touch with it.” - Writer Jane Wagner, the wry collaborative mind behind some of Lily Tomlin's best lines.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 15.

No Lady, Member of Congress, Mary Norton

“I'm no lady; I'm a member of Congress, and I'll proceed on that basis.” - Mary Norton, the first female Democrat ever elected to Congress entirely on her own merits, rather than creeping in on the coattails of a deceased spouse.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 153.

Doing What You Do, Something, Grace Paley

“You come to doing what you do by not being able to do something.” - Grace Paley, failed poet, acclaimed short story writer.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 163.

Worth Possessing, Be Quite Possessed, Sara Teasdale

“No one worth possessing/Can be quite possessed.” - Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Sara Teasdale

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 142.

Late for Dinner, Affair, Dead, Jessica Tandy

“When he's late for dinner, I know he's either having an affair or is lying dead in the street. I always hope it's the street.” - Jessica Tandy, married to fellow actor Hume Cronyn for nearly on-half century, on the subject of drivng Miss Daisy completely bonkers.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 128.

Love What You Do, Matters, Katharine Graham

“To love what you do and feel that it matters – how could anything be more fun?” - Katharine Graham, publisher of the Washington Post.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 165.

Joanna Come Lately, Bella Abzug

“I'm no Joanna come lately, believe me, I've been here all along – outside.” - Bella Abzug, on being elected to U.S. House of Representatives in 1971; three-term U.S. Congresswoman from New York, known both for the unconventional contents of her cranium and her penchant for placing ladylike chapeaux on it.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 55.

Saying to Myself, Live, Say, Paint, Georgia O'Keeffe

“One day I found myself saying to myself, 'I can't live where I want to. I can't even say what I want to!' I decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least paint as I wanted to.” - Georgia O'Keeffe, doyenne of the painted desert. Convent-educated O'Keeffe also didn't enjoy hearing about the sexual symbolism of her work, insisting that any putative crotch imagery was nothing but a crock.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 161.

Language, Complain, Jane Wagner, Lily Tomlin

“I personally think we developed language because of our deep inner need to complain.” - Writer Jane Wagner, the wry collaborative mind behind some of Lily Tomlin's best lines.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 15.

Wanted to Be, In Charge, Wilma Vaught

“What I wanted to be when I grew up was – in charge.” - Wilma Vaught, Brigadier General of the U.S. Air Force.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 156.

Men and Women, Suit Each Other, Live Next Door, Katharine Hepburn

“Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then.” - Actress Katharine Hepburn, who got along famously with married lover Spencer Tracy during a quarter-century of now-and-then visits.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 136.

Language, Complain, Jane Wagner, Lily Tomlin

“I personally think we developed language because of our deep inner need to complain.” - Writer Jane Wagner, the wry collaborative mind behind some of Lily Tomlin's best lines.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 15.

Mother, Noble Status, Florynce Kennedy

“Being a mother is a noble status, right? Right. So why does it change why you put 'unwed' or 'welfare' in front of it?” - Civil rights lawyer Florynce Kennedy, once lionized by the press as “Radicalism's Rudest Mouth” and as a “loud-mouthed middled-aged colored lady” by herself.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 193.

Little Place, Political Scheme, Independent, Creative Personality, Shirley Chisholm

“There is little place in the political scheme of things for an independent, creative personality, for a fighter. Anyone who takes that role must pay a price.” - Shirley Chisholm, professor and practitioner of political sciens, and the first black woman to battle her way into Congress.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 52.

Conditions of Tyranny, Act, Think, Hannah Arendt

“Under conditions of tyranny it is far easier to act than to think.” - Hannah Arendt, left-wing philosopher who promoted the radical notion that morality might have a place in politics.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 63.

When I Grew Up, In Charge, Wilma Vaught

“What I wanted to be when I grew up was – in charge.” - Wilma Vaught, Brigadier General of the U.S. Air Force.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 156.

Live Where I Want to, Say What I Want to, Paint, Georgia O'Keeffe

“One day I found myself saying to myself, 'I can't live where I want to. I can't even say what I want to!' I decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least paint as I wanted to.” - Georgia O'Keeffe, doyenne of the painted desert. Convent-educated O'Keeffe also didn't enjoy hearing about the sexual symbolism of her work, insisting that any putative crotch imagery was nothing but a crock.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 161.

Doing What You Do, Something, Grace Paley

“You come to doing what you do by not being able to do something.” - Grace Paley, failed poet, acclaimed short story writer.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 163.

Enjoy Looking at Paintings, Georgia O'Keeffe

“I don't much enjoy looking at paintings in general. I know too much about them. I take them apart.” - Georgia O'Keeffe, doyenne of the painted desert. Convent-educated O'Keeffe also didn't enjoy hearing about the sexual symbolism of her work, insisting that any putative crotch imagery was nothing but a crock.

Found in Wild Words from Wild Women: An Unbridled Collection of Candid Observations & Extremely Opinionated Bon Mots, Compiled by Autumn Stephens, page 161.