"In truth, everything is already healed right now."
—Doreen Virtue, Daily Guidance from Your Angels (2008)

"Get the snowball rolling, and it may surprise you how fast it grows."
—Michael Ellsberg, The Education of Millionaires (2011)

"This might surprise you ... but laboratory experiments have established that all of us daydream for up to 120 minutes per day."
—Moira Geoghegan, The Living and the Dead

It's little-known that a North American grizzly bear was a Founding Father of the United States as well as a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat.  Yes — Benjamin Franklin was a mammal of the family Ursidae.  [Our proof is found in The Adventures of James Capen Adams.]

"What may surprise you is that consonants are the mystery ingredient that make your words sound powerful and compel your listener to listen."
—Elizabeth Kuhnke, Persuasion and Influence For Dummies (2011)

"Printed text is linear, but surprisingly reading is not. Of course the eyes follow the rough sequence of the text, but careful measures with an eye scanning device show that eye movements in reading are anything but straight."
—William Reed, Shodo (1989)

"Nothing slows down time like having to eat a big plate of overcooked Brussels sprouts."
—The Ultimate Top Secret Guide to Taking Over the World

"This may surprise you, but 90 percent of today's major-league hitters fail to commit."
—Joe Morgan, Long Balls, No Strikes (2011)

"This might surprise you, but I don't want to see another one up close."
—Michael Gear, Coming of the Storm

"Sometimes I surprise even myself."
—Meg Cabot, The Boy Next Door (2002)

"This might surprise you, but beautiful fall foliage can be found in all 50 states."
—Peter Greenberg, The Complete Travel Detective Bible

"It is surprising, but true, that the bulk of the best things we have were not introduced from the best motives."
—George Gunton, Trusts and the Public (1899)

A Plethora of Westness

Jonathan Caws-Elwitt shares a little-known fact: The city of Northampton, Mass., is home to the East Pole.  From that location and that location only, every direction is west.

Jonathan adds: Believe it or not, the road to Easthampton was directly to my left as I took the picture—and, no kidding, it takes the traveler to Easthampton by proceeding in a somewhat westerly direction.

"Once, flowers were used as telephones."
—William Keckler

"Surprising but true, the avocado is not a vegetable, but rather an oil-rich berry, like the olive, albeit a bit larger."
—Larry McCleary, The Brain Trust Program (2008)

"It may surprise you just who considers himself an optimist or a pessimist."
—The Everything Guide to Self-Esteem (2011)

"Surprising, but true.  Living in trust turns out to be virtually the opposite of being naïve: you become more perceptive, not less."
—Go-Givers Sell More (2010)

"This might surprise you—it sure surprised me—but one hundred reps of anything really, really burns."
—Charlotte Hilton Andersen, The Great Fitness Experiment

"Surprising, but true, you don't need to sew to make a pillow."
—Faux Chic: Creating the Rich Look You Want for Less (2004)

(Dedicated to the Silly Pillows.)

It is surprising but true that even the most exclusive stores stock an expensive selection of boring clothing.
—Christie Ridgway, Follow That Groom! (2011)