something's IN THE DETAILS

[Miller, Jerry]

Steve: I'm familiar with two different and opposing sayings (unfortunately,
I don't really know the origins of either). "The Devil is in the details"
I've heard quite often, but I've also heard (and used) "God hides in the
details," which is quite useful in the teaching of writing, obviously. Where
these originated I have no idea, but they are interesting in their
opposition (or can both God and the Devil hide out in the same place?). Like
you, I am curious as to their origins and how one presumably transformed
into the other (and in which order) at some point in time.

Jerry Miller


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stephen Harper [SMTP:stephen.harper at WORLDNET.ATT.NET]
> Sent: Sunday, November 28, 1999 11:12 AM
> To:   ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject:      something's IN THE DETAILS
>
> My wife came downstairs yesterday morning saying a fragment of a phrase
> was running through her mind which ended "in the details."  I think the
> expression is "The Devil is in the details," but I have not been able to
> find it documented anywhere.
>
> Is anyone familiar with it?
>
> Thanks,
> Steve