Tom Heehler Quotes That Should Stay With You

By
, Staff Writer
Updated February 17, 2022
Open book on the windowsill with Tom Heehler quote
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    Open book on the windowsill with Tom Heehler quote
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    kirilllutz / iStock / Getty Images Plus
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    Used under Getty Images license

Tom Heehler is an author who celebrates words and the lyricism of language. In addition to helping other people become better orators, Heehler has some memorable quotes that highlight the importance, beauty and joy of language.

Quotes From The Well-Spoken Thesaurus

Tom Heehler’s The Well-Spoken Thesaurus examines words from the great speakers and writers in history in order to help readers identify what makes words sing.

  • “The law of great expectations is a powerful motivator.”

  • “The foolish read to escape reality; the wise surrender to it.”

  • “Science embraces facts and debates opinion; religion embraces opinion and debates the facts.”

  • “The educated don't get that way by memorizing facts; they get that way by respecting them.”

  • “Fear not the tyrant; fear the tyrant's wake.“

  • “If you are your own worst enemy, don't do yourself any favors.“

  • “Courage is the ability to ignore your options.“

  • “Nuance: for best results apply with sledge hammer.“

  • “Cultural pluralism is the only thing we all have in common.“

  • “Common Sense and Education: The more you think you have of one, the less you think you need of the other.“

  • “Words are like little gods.”

  • “As important as your words are in shaping your behavior, they are even more important in the way they shape the behavior of others.”

  • “The well-spoken few are viewed by others in a different way. They are thought of as more knowledgeable, more informed, and therefore expected to do more things.”

  • “Good writers indulge their audience; great writers know better.”

  • “Good writers do more than simply conjure up clever comparisons for the things they describe; they couch those comparisons in language that compares to them or is suggestive of them.”

Tom Heehler Quotes About Language

Heehler’s words from an interview on writing and speaking are witty reminders of why language matters.

  • “When you write and speak using eloquent language, two very curious things happen. One, your audience cannot help but to associate that eloquent language with power. And two, they then associate that power with you. It's as if by the mere use of eloquent language, writers and speakers are able to acquire and project power.”

  • “When you instill in someone an appreciation for the beauty of words — which is what I think The Well-Spoken Thesaurus does — you instill an appreciation for the beauty of language and the reading of books writ large.”

  • “It's not about projecting the image of a bookworm; it's about adopting the attitude of a bookworm.”

  • “In the same way that the physical act of smiling, in and of itself, can leave you feeling happy, the physical act of speaking eloquently can leave you feeling studious.”

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Well-Spoken People We Can Learn From

Tom Heehler is not the only one who has made it a priority to compile great quotes from great speakers of the past and present. Examine the language of some of history’s greatest wordsmiths.