“My friends have made the story of my life.”
“My friends, judge me by the enemies I have made.”
Speech made on the campaign trail in Portland, Oregon (21 September 1932)
1930s
“How slowly I have made my way in life! How much is still to be done!”
Letter http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/nh/hb12.html to Horatio Bridge (15 March 1851)
Context: How slowly I have made my way in life! How much is still to be done! How little worth — outwardly speaking — is all that I have achieved! The bubble reputation is as much a bubble in literature as in war, and I should not be one whit the happier if mine were world-wide and time-long than I was when nobody but yourself had faith in me.
The only sensible ends of literature are, first, the pleasurable toil of writing; second, the gratification of one's family and friends; and, lastly, the solid cash.
Source: Anthony De Mello : Writings (1999), p. 8
Context: A master was once unmoved by the complaints of his disciples that, though they listened with pleasure to his parables and stories, they were also frustrated for they longed for something deeper. To all their objections he would simply reply: "You have yet to understand, my friends, that the shortest distance between a human being and truth is a story."
“If I want a long boring story with no point to it, I have my life.”
Source: In 2021 on his acquittal concerning sexual assault allegations that involved him. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/bill-cosby-prison-release-1234976311/
