About
M.H. Alderson is a poorly documented figure, known mainly for a widely reprinted humorous maxim. A native of Mount Vernon, Missouri, he published his most famous quote in the local newspaper Lawrence County Record. The phrase was popularized nationally by Reader's Digest in 1955. No detailed biographical information, such as his full name or dates of birth and death, has been confirmed. His work consists of quotes and aphorisms, with no major known publications.
Key milestones
- 1955His maxim 'If at first you don't succeed, you're running about average' is published in Reader's Digest (vol. 66, p. 128).
- 1955The quote also appears in the National Road Traveler (Cambridge City, IN) and the Lebanon Daily News (PA).
Themes
HumorPerseveranceFolk wisdom
Sources: archive.org · barrypopik.com