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Quote by Gore Vidal

“Gentlemen are not supposed to tell the truth about their sex lives, nor are ladies, for that matter. Of course Clinton lied - as would anybody in his position.”

Quote by Gore Vidal

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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“It never occurred to any Enlightenment figure in the eighteenth century that law was not preferable to man.”

Men Law Century Figures Enlightenment

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

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

“Love, like a sense of humor, is now claimed by everyone even though Love, like a sense of humor, is rather more rare than not, and to most of us poor muddlers unbearable at full strength.”

Love Poor Sense Of Humor Unbearable

Author:Gore Vidal

“It is reasonable to assume that, by and large, what is not read now will not be read, ever. It is also reasonable to assume that practically nothing that is read now will be read later.”

Literature Assuming Reasonable

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

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

“All Americans born between 1890 and 1945 wanted to be movie stars.”

Wanted Stars Born Movie Movie Star

Author:Gore Vidal

“In large Victorian houses with many rooms and heavy doors, the occupants could be mysterious and exciting to one another in a way that those who live in rackety developments can never hope to be. Not even the lust of a Lord Byron could survive the fact of Levittown.”

Way Facts House Rooms Lord Doors Development Exciting Heavy Lust Mysterious Privacy Victorian Byron

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

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

“In a society like ours, politics is improvisation. To the artful dodger rather than the true believer goes the prize.”

Politician Believer Prize Improvisation True Believer Dodgers

Book:Sex, Death, and Money

Source: Sex, Death, and Money

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

Trying Believe Politician Aspect Determine Fascinating

Book:The Essential Gore Vidal

Source: The Essential Gore Vidal

“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