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The trouble with the lost generation is that it didn’t get lost enough.

James Thurber

I don’t believe the writer should know too much where he’s going. If he does, he runs into old man blueprintold man propaganda.
JAMES THURBER

Believe Man Myself Old Writing
You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward.
JAMES THURBER

Face Fall Yourself
I write humor the way a surgeon operates, because it is a livelihood, because I have a great urge to do it, because many interesting challenges are set up, and because I have the hope it may do some good.
JAMES THURBER

Goodness Hope Humor Interest Operate Surgeon Writing
But what is all this fear of and opposition to Oblivion? What is the matter with the soft Darkness, the Dreamless Sleep?
JAMES THURBER

Darkness Dreams Fear Sleep
History is replete with proofs, from Cato the Elder to Kennedy the Younger, that if you scratch a statesman you find an actor, but it is becoming harder and harder, in our time, to tell government from show business.
JAMES THURBER

Business Evidence Government History Ourselves Time
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else.
JAMES THURBER

Mathematics Safety
The most dangerous food is wedding cake.
JAMES THURBER

Cake Dangerous Food Marriage One Liner Sarcasm
I am not a cat man, but a dog man, and all felines can tell this at a glance – a sharp, vindictive glance.
JAMES THURBER

Man Myself Sharp
Progress was all right. Only it went on too long.
JAMES THURBER

Progress Right Time
There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception.
JAMES THURBER

Exception Rule
Love is what you’ve been through with somebody.
JAMES THURBER

Break Up Love Yourself
The wit makes fun of other persons; the satirist makes fun of the world; the humorist makes fun of himself.
JAMES THURBER

Funny Himself Person Smart World
If you wonder which is the stronger sex, watch which one twists the other around her little finger.
JAMES THURBER

Herself Man Sex Strong Woman Wonder
There are two kinds of light – the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.
JAMES THURBER

Deep Glow Illumination Kind Light
It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.
JAMES THURBER

Answer Better Known Question
When all things are equal, translucence in writing is more effective than transparency, just as glow is more revealing than glare.
JAMES THURBER

Effective Equality Reveal Writing

The trouble with the lost generation is that it didn’t get lost enough.

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The trouble with the lost generation is that it didn’t get lost enough.

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Popular Authors

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