I recall watching Oprah Winfrey interview Dr. Abraham Verghese on his book, The Covenant of Water, and heard him respond a few times, saying that he appreciates the meaning ascribed but he wasn't thinking in that particular way as he wrote whatever part they spoke of.
In other interviews I have watched I heard the interviewer ask the interviewee if this was what they meant by, such and such, only to have the interviewee come back in response, with "No." and instead gave a different meaning.
This isn't a bad thing to me.
It's quite good actually.
It gives clarity to explain what we think of someone's work so they can say if that was their intention or not. It also gives the quoted a peep into the impact of their work and words in the world.
Similar to when we ask a child; "Do you understand me?" and they say they do, then you ask them to repeat what they understand and its something completely different from what you thought you were communicating.
Yup it happens.
This is feedback.
The best of which causes exponential positive change in the lives of many, intended or not.
But it reminds us that when we consider discussing a quote made by someone what we are really talking about is our interpretation of what was said.
Which could be different than the intention of the one quoted.
And that can be ok.
Sometimes...