Wit & Wisdom

“The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.”

V.S. Naipaul, quoted in The Wall Street Journal

“There is wisdom in turning as often as possible from the familiar to the unfamiliar: It keeps the mind nimble, it kills prejudice, and it fosters humor.”

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George Santayana, quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle

“We all live in suspense, from day to day, from hour to hour; in other words, we are the hero of our own story.”

Author Mary McCarthy, quoted in the Associated Press

“Sophistication is upscale conformity.”

Poet James Richardson, quoted in The Boston Globe

“What my mother believed about cooking is that if you worked hard and prospered, someone else would do it for you.”

Nora Ephron, quoted in the Montreal Gazette

“Taking on a pet is a contract with sorrow.”

Author Carol Anshaw, quoted in More

“Civilizations die from suicide, not murder.”

Arnold Toynbee, quoted in NationalReview.com