Wit & Wisdom

“Blanket cynicism gives the illusion of understanding.”

Harvard lecturer Marcia Angell, quoted in The New Republic

“A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it begins to rain.”

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Robert Frost, quoted in the Lebanon, Pa., Daily News

“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, nobody knows what they are.”

W. Somerset Maugham, quoted in the Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Absolute passion cannot be understood by a third party.”

Soren Kierkegaard, quoted in The Boston Globe

“Sons have always a rebellious wish to be disillusioned by that which charmed their fathers.”

Aldous Huxley, quoted in The Wall Street Journal

“Sometimes you get the best light from a burning bridge.”

Don Henley, quoted in the Montreal Gazette

“When you are done changing, you’re done.”

Benjamin Franklin, quoted in the Billings, Mont., Gazette