Hurry Home, Candy (1953)
“He had the open, cheerful, rather self-satisfied countenance of someone upon whom life had made very few demands.”
Source: Henry Rios series of novels, Rag and Bone (2001), p.187
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Michael Nava 38
American writer 1954Related quotes

Mrs. Coates on Matthew Arnold—Literary and social critic who both encouraged and inspired Mrs. Coates' writing, and was a guest on several occasions at the Coates' Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania home during his stays in Philadelphia (31 March 1894). From The Critic, 31 March 1894.

1950s, What Desires Are Politically Important? (1950)
Context: We love those who hate our enemies, and if we had no enemies there would be very few people whom we should love.
All this, however, is only true so long as we are concerned solely with attitudes towards other human beings. You might regard the soil as your enemy because it yields reluctantly a niggardly subsistence. You might regard Mother Nature in general as your enemy, and envisage human life as a struggle to get the better of Mother Nature. If men viewed life in this way, cooperation of the whole human race would become easy. And men could easily be brought to view life in this way if schools, newspapers, and politicians devoted themselves to this end. But schools are out to teach patriotism; newspapers are out to stir up excitement; and politicians are out to get re-elected. None of the three, therefore, can do anything towards saving the human race from reciprocal suicide.
Festival Prayer Book: Yom Kippur (1960) p.IX

Source: Educated (2018), Chapter 20, “Recitals of the Fathers” (p. 180; the reference is to the Civil Rights Movement)

translated as The Cost of Discipleship (1959), p. 47.
Discipleship (1937), Costly Grace

The Issue (1908)
Context: If it had not been for the discontent of a few fellows who had not been satisfied with their conditions, you would still be living in caves. Intelligent discontent is the mainspring of civilization.
Progress is born of agitation. It is agitation or stagnation.