Preface (page XXI)
The Great War for Civilization (2005)
“I wait for death… and journalists.”
Jeanne Calment (1875–1934) French supercentenarian who had the longest confirmed human life span in history
Attributed in: Charlotte A. Spencer. Genes, Aging and Immortality. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. p. 6; In response to growing interest by media
“At 2 per cent growth a year, an economy doubles in size in just thirty years.”
Paul Ormerod book The Death of Economics
Part I, Chapter 2, Measuring Prosperity, p. 23
The Death of Economics (1994)
Gabrielle Giffords (1970) American politician
Discussing being "targeted" by Sarah Palin, in March 2010 interview with MSNBC — Newsweek, Can Obama Turn Tragedy Into Triumph?, Jonathan Alter, January 10, 2011, 2011-01-10, Harman Newsweek LLC http://www.newsweek.com/2011/01/10/the-impact-on-obama-s-presidency.html,
Paddy Ashdown (1941–2018) British politician and diplomat
As quoted in "Farewell, Sarajevo" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/nov/02/warcrimes.politics (1 November 2005), The Guardian
Sören Kierkegaard (1813–1855) Danish philosopher and theologian, founder of Existentialism
1840s, The Journals of Søren Kierkegaard, 1840s
Charles Mingus (1922–1979) American jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader
As quoted in Setting the Tempo : Fifty Years of Great Jazz Liner Notes (1996) by Tom Piazza. p. 339
Context: What do you think happens to a composer who is sincere and loves to write and has to wait thirty years to have someone play a piece of his music? Had I been born in a different country or had I been born white, I am sure I would have expressed my ideas long ago. Maybe they wouldn't have been as good because when people are born free — I can't imagine it, but I've got a feeling that if it's so easy for you — the struggle and the initiative are not as strong as they are for a person who has to struggle and therefore has more to say.
“A hundred years die in a moment, just as a moment dies in a moment.”
Antonio Porchia (1885–1968) Italian Argentinian poet
Mueren cien años en un instante, lo mismo que un instante en un instante.
Voces (1943)
Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) Italian composer
Aspettate fino alla sera prima del giorno fissato per la rappresentazione. Nessuna cosa eccita più l'estro come la necessità, la presenza d'un copista, che aspetta il vostro lavoro e la ressa d'un impresario in angustie, che si strappa a ciocche i capelli. A tempo mio in Italia tutti gli impresari erano calvi a trent'anni.
From an undated letter, published in Luigi Rognoni Gioacchino Rossini (1968) p. 337. Translation from Josiah Fisk and Jeff Nichols (eds.) Composers on Music (1997) p. 67.
On the right time to write an overture.
