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In the writing of novels, there is the problem of how to shape a narrative.

Gore Vidal

That loyal retainer of the Chase Manhattan Bank, the American president.
GORE VIDAL

Bank Loyalty President
Never have children, only grandchildren.
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Children Family Funny
It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.
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Enough Failure Success
It’s odd to meet a rather elderly man who says, ‘I’ve been reading you all my life.’ It makes you feel a slight chill.
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Feeling Life Man Yourself
Today’s public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some evidence that they can’t read them either.
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Evidence Figure Reading Speech
Litigation takes the place of sex at middle age.
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Age One Liner Place Sex
It is the spirit of the age to believe that any fact, no matter how suspect, is superior to any imaginative exercise, no matter how true.
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Age Believe Exercise Imagination Spirit
Boys don’t like girls around when they do boy things.
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Character Human Male Nature
I’m not paranoid, no. I’m different in that I have enemies. Very real ones.
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Different Enemy Oneself Reality
Obama just came swiftly out of nowhere, which was a relief to those of us who care about the Republic, and at first he seemed a very good thing.
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Goodness Government Himself Politics President Public relief
By the end of World War II, we were the most powerful and least damaged of the great nations. We also had most of the money. America’s hegemony lasted exactly five years.
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Damage End Greatness Nation Powerful War
Each youth betrays considerable anxiety about the wedding night ahead.
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Anxiety Night Youth
We must declare ourselves, become known; allow the world to discover this subterranean life of ours which connects kings and farm boys, artists and clerks. Let them see that the important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
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Artist Discover Emotion Important Known World
Every country should have at least one King Farouk.
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Country Oneself
Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith.
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Business Country Faith Fiction Lost Writing
Policemen are seldom tried for their crimes, or indeed, held responsible for what they do, which disturbs the peace and causes distress among the orderly.
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Crime Disturb Order Peace Police Responsibility
By the time a man gets to be presidential material, he’s been bought ten times over.
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Himself Man Material President Time
On 16 September 1985, when the Commerce Department announced that the United States had become a debtor nation, the American Empire died.
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Death Department Nation State
History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.
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Gossip History Hope Past True
Anybody who is stupid enough to want to be remembered deserves to be forgotten right now.
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Deserve Enough Stupidity
All in all, I would not have missed this century for the world.
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Missing Myself World
As the age of television progresses the Reagans will be the rule, not the exception. To be perfect for television is all a President has to be these days.
GORE VIDAL

Age Perfection Progression Rule Television
What is in question is a kind of book reviewing which seems to be more and more popular: the loose putting down of opinions as though they were facts, and the treating of facts as though they were opinions.
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Book Fact Kind Loose Opinion Popular Question Review Treat
I can’t name three first-rate literary critics in the United States. I’m told there are a few hidden away at universities, but they don’t print them in ‘The New York Times.’
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Criticism Literature Myself Name University
I’m exactly as I appear. There is no warm, lovable person inside. Beneath my cold exterior, once you break the ice, you find cold water.
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Appearance Cold Love Warm Water Yourself
Jews, blacks and homosexuals are despised by the Christian and Communist majorities of East and West. Also, as a result of the invention of Israel, Jews can now count on the hatred of the Islamic world.
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Black Communist Hate Result World
Both Marx and Christ agree that in this life, a right action is consideration for the welfare of others.
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Action God Karma Life Right Welfare

In the writing of novels, there is the problem of how to shape a narrative.

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In the writing of novels, there is the problem of how to shape a narrative.

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