Who said “You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward.”?

Verified

James Thurber. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"The Bear Who Let It Alone", The New Yorker (29 April 1939); Fables for Our Time & Famous Poems Illustrated (1940)

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“You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward.”
Verified"The Bear Who Let It Alone", The New Yorker (29 April 1939); Fables for Our Time & Famous Poems Illustrated (1940) · evidencePersuasion

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "The Bear Who Let It Alone", The New Yorker (29 April 1939); Fables for Our Time & Famous Poems Illustrated (1940).

APA

Thurber, J. (n.d.). You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25123-you-might-as-well-fall-flat-on-your/

MLA

Thurber, James. “You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25123-you-might-as-well-fall-flat-on-your/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Thurber, James. “You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25123-you-might-as-well-fall-flat-on-your/.