Searching inside quotation books such as YBQ and other references

[Garson O'Toole]

I think Joel Berson raised a valuable point when he asked about
finding a specific quotation within a large quote book using imprecise
knowledge.

> Does anyone recognize the following (or similar)?  I didn't find it in the YBQ.
> "I only wish I knew as much about anything as he knows about everything."

Fred Shapiro then helpfully answered with the appropriate quote.

To search some reference books I use my browser. I have a bookmark to
the Google Books instance of the reference I wish to search. For
example, the YBQ is searchable and it gives page numbers. Many of the
page images are blocked. I use my paper copy to look up pages when
necessary.

If you plug into the search box the two words: "anything",
"everything" then the quote sought above is the sixth result out of
31. Unfortunately some references have sharply restricted access and
this strategy does not work for them.

Garson O'Toole

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