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Quote by Gore Vidal

“One of the most fascinating aspects of politician-watching is trying to determine to what extent any politician believes what he says.”

Quote by Gore Vidal

Book:The Essential Gore Vidal

Work

The Essential Gore Vidal

This compilation offers a glimpse into Vidal's extensive intellectual and political discourse, showcasing his wit, insight, and criticism on a variety of topics including history, literature, and contemporary politics. more

Author

American writer, playwright, screenwriter, and critic. Known for his sharp political satire and profound historical insight, Vidal's work spans a variety of genres including novels, plays, screenplays, and criticism. more

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“Yet in a society of conflicting interests the only democratic way in which matters can be improved is through politics, and politics means the compromising of extremes in order to achieve that notorious half loaf which the passionate and the outraged never find sufficient.”

Way Mean Matter Order Interest Half Achieve Politician Democratic Passionate Extremes Compromise Sufficient Notorious Outraged

Book:Reflections Upon a Sinking Ship. (1. Ed.)

Source: Reflections Upon a Sinking Ship. (1. Ed.)

“It is natural for men to want power. But to seek power actively takes a temperament baffling to both the simple and the wise. The simple cannot fathom how any man would dare presume to prevail, while the wise are amazed that any reasonable man would want the world, assuming he could get it.”

Men World Want Natural Simple Power Wise Assuming Dare Reasonable Amazed Temperament Fathom Reasonable Man

Author:Gore Vidal

“I suspect that our own faith in psychiatry will seem as touchingly quaint to the future as our grandparents' belief in phrenology seems now to us.”

Seems Belief Suspects Grandparent Psychiatry Quaint Phrenology

Book:Gore Vidal: Sexually Speaking, Collected Sex Writings

Source: Gore Vidal: Sexually Speaking, Collected Sex Writings

“For half a century photography has been the "art form" of the untalented. Obviously some pictures are more satisfactory than others, but where is credit due? To the designer of the camera? to the finger on the button? to the law of averages?”

Has Beens Art Form Law Half Century Photography Cameras Fingers Average Credit Dues Designer Buttons Half A Century Untalented Law Of Averages

Book:The second American revolution and other essays (1976-1982)

Source: The second American revolution and other essays (1976-1982)

“When the Presidential virus attacks the system there is a tendency for the patient in his fever to move from the Right or the Left to the Center where the curative votes are.”

Moving Left Vote Patient Tendencies Presidential Fever Viruses

Book:Sex, Death, and Money

Source: Sex, Death, and Money

“I am a correctionist. If something is wrong in society, it must be fixed. At least one should try to fix it.”

Ifs Should Trying Reform Fixed

Author:Gore Vidal

“If satire is to be effective, the audience must be aware of the thing satirized.”

Ifs Audience Satire

Book:Visit to a Small Planet: A Comedy Akin to a Vaudeville

Source: Visit to a Small Planet: A Comedy Akin to a Vaudeville

“Next to "I win," "I told you so" are the sweetest words.”

Next Winning Sweetest Smugness Told You So

Author:Gore Vidal

“There are certain truths so true that they are practically unbelievable.”

Truth Certain Unbelievable

Book:Pink triangle and yellow star, and other essays (1976-1982)

Source: Pink triangle and yellow star, and other essays (1976-1982)

“Writers who teach tend to prefer literary theory to literature and tenure to all else. Writers who do not teach prefer the contemplation of Careers to art of any kind.”

Writing Kind Art Literature Careers Teach Theory Contemplation Tenure Literary Theory

Book:A view from the diners club: essays 1987-1991

Source: A view from the diners club: essays 1987-1991