My name is Amit Kothari, and I've been collecting quotes for nearly thirty years. What started as a university student's habit of scribbling down words that struck me has grown into this collection—thousands of quotes, over seventy original poems, and a lifetime of thinking about what wisdom really means.
Why I Collect
I found my first quote that truly mattered in a dog-eared copy of Marcus Aurelius, abandoned in the University of Bath library. I was nineteen, stressed about exams, and those ancient words hit me like a revelation: "You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength."
I wrote it on a napkin. I still have that napkin somewhere.
That moment taught me something about the power of the right words at the right time. A Roman emperor, dead for nearly two thousand years, had reached across centuries to help a struggling student in England. That's what quotes can do. They're time capsules of human wisdom, waiting for the right reader.
The Poetry
Reading wisdom eventually led me to creating my own. I started writing poetry in my university years and continued through travels in Africa, Europe, and America. The poems here—over seventy of them—are my attempt to capture moments that prose couldn't hold: a sunset over the Serengeti, a conversation in a Paris café, the feeling of standing at the edge of something new.
I don't claim they're great literature. They're honest. Each one marks a moment when words demanded to be written.
Professional Background
Outside of words and wisdom, I work in technology. I have a Computer Science degree from the University of Bath and founded Tallyfy, a workflow automation company. I'm based in St. Louis, Missouri, though I grew up in the UK.
You might think technology and poetry don't mix. I've found the opposite. Both require precision. Both are about finding elegant solutions. Both ask: how can we express something complex in the simplest possible way?
About This Collection
This website has existed in various forms since 1996. It started as a simple HTML page on a university server. Over the years, it's grown and changed shape, but the core purpose remains: to share the words that have shaped how I think about life.
Unlike quote databases that simply aggregate, I've tried to add context. Every quote comes with my reflection on why it matters. This isn't Wikipedia—it's personal. These are the quotes that have stayed with me, the ones I've returned to in different seasons of life and found new meaning each time.
Philosophy
I believe in quality over quantity. There are millions of quotes online. Most are misattributed. Many are stripped of context. I'd rather share fifty quotes I've actually thought about than five thousand I've merely collected.
I believe quotes are starting points, not destinations. The best ones don't give you answers—they give you better questions.
I believe everyone should write. Maybe not poetry. Maybe not for anyone else. But the act of putting thoughts into words changes the thoughts themselves.
Get in Touch
If you'd like to reach me, you can find me at amitkoth.com. I'm always happy to hear from fellow collectors of wisdom.