“My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth there's hardly any difference.”

— Harry Truman

As quoted in Esquire, Vol. 76 (1971), also in Truman's Crises : A Political Biography of Harry S. Truman (1980) by Harold Foote Gosnell, p. 9; sometimes paraphrased: Being a politician is like being a piano player in a whorehouse.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth there's …" by Harry Truman?

Harry Truman photo

Harry Truman119

American politician, 33rd president of the United States (i… 1884–1972

Related quotes

Frédéric Chopin quote: “I tell my piano the things I used to tell you”

“I tell my piano the things I used to tell you”

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) Polish composer

“A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth - some obvious truth he isn't supposed to say.”

Michael Kinsley (1951) American political journalist, commentator television host

As quoted in Commentary: The gaffer speaks, The Times, April 23, 1988.

“The apparent discrepancy in the Gospel narrative aroused no doubt in my mind as to the literal truth of either of the texts. Indeed, my falling away from grace was not occasioned by any intellectual qualms; I accepted the theology of the Plymouth Brethren. In fact, I could hardly conceive of the existence of people who might doubt it. I simply went over to Satan's side; and to this hour I cannot tell why.”

Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) poet, mountaineer, occultist

Source: The Confessions of Aleister Crowley (1929), Ch. 5.

“No choice we can make as a nation lies between our history and our geography. We can hardly change either of them. They are immutable. The only choice we can make as a nation is the choice about our future.”

Paul Keating (1944) Australian politician, 24th Prime Minister of Australia

"A Prospect of Europe", 1997 speech at the University of New South Wales.

“I have, all my life long, been lying till noon; yet I tell all young men, and tell them with great sincerity, that nobody who does not rise early will ever do any good.”

Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) English writer

September 14, 1773
The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (1785)

“I flung Churchgoing over early in life, from religious conviction. I did not believe in Church doctrine, as preached by the parson. I did not believe either in ordering myself "lowly and reverently to all my betters," because they were never able to tell me who my betters were. Those they called my betters I did not think my betters in any respect.”

Joseph Arch (1826–1919) British politician

Source: The Story of his Life Told by Himself (1898), p. 48

“The right choice is hardly ever the easy choice.”

Rick Riordan book The Throne of Fire

Source: The Throne of Fire

“My business strategy is either to be geographically focused with lots of businesses or you can be a global player in selected businesses. Since I chose the route of being global, that is where I am going. You have to be competitive. It’s a matter of choice.”

Sukanto Tanoto (1949) Indonesian businessman

Globe Asia Interview, Sep, 2015. http://www.inside-rge.com/Sukanto-Tanoto-Resource-King-GlobeAsia <br class="br">2015

“Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you once made. If you want different results, make different choices.”

“I'm beginning to think the only choice anyone has in life is between either a bad choice or a worse one.”

Sherrilyn Kenyon (1965) Novelist

Source: Infamous

Related topics