Funny how the world always praises its opera-singers so much and pays 'em so well and then starves its shoemakers, and yet it needs good shoes so much more than it needs opera--or war or fiction. Sinclair Lewis More Quotes by Sinclair Lewis More Quotes From Sinclair Lewis When fascism comes to the United States it will be wrapped in the American flag and will claim the name of 100-percent Americanism Sinclair Lewis usanamesamerica I am convinced that everything that is worth while in the world has been accomplished by the free, inquiring, critical spirit, and that the preservation of this spirit is more important than any social system whatsoever. But the men of ritual and the men of barbarism are capable of shutting up the men of science and silencing them forever. Sinclair Lewis importantforevermen It is impossible to discourage the real writers - they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write. Sinclair Lewis realwritinggiving Under a tyranny, most friends are a liability. One quarter of them turn "reasonable" and become your enemies, one quarter are afraid to speak, and one quarter are killed and you die with them. But the blessed final quarter keep you alive. Sinclair Lewis blessedfriendshipenemy Intellectually I know that America is no better than any other country; emotionally I know she is better than every other country. Sinclair Lewis patriotic4th-of-julycountry The most important part of living is not the living but the pondering upon it. Sinclair Lewis ponderingimportantlife Fascism will come to America wrapped in a flag. Sinclair Lewis flagsfascismamerica The trouble with this country is that there are too many people going about saying, "The trouble with this country is...." Sinclair Lewis humorousfunnycountry I must say I'm not very fond of oratory that's so full of energy it hasn't any room for facts. Sinclair Lewis oratoryenergyrooms Sleep with me sleep with my dogs- Sinclair Lewis my-dogdogsleep There is no greater compliment to the Jews than the fact that the degree of their unpopularity is always the scientific measure of the cruelty and silliness of the regime under which they live. Sinclair Lewis degreesfactscompliment Writers have a rare power not given to anyone else: we can bore people long after we are dead. Sinclair Lewis writinglongpeople I think perhaps we want a more conscious life. We're tired of drudging and sleeping and dying. We're tired of seeing just a few people able to be individualists. We're tired of always deferring hope till the next generation. We're tired of hearing politicians and priests and cautious reformers... coax us, 'Be calm! Be patient! Wait! We have the plans for a Utopia already made; just wiser than you.' For ten thousand years they've said that. We want our Utopia now — and we're going to try our hands at it. Sinclair Lewis tiredsleepthinking Love is the one thing that can really sure-enough lighten all of life's dark clouds. Sinclair Lewis darkcloudslove Every man is a king so long as he has someone to look down on. Sinclair Lewis kingsmenlong You have more people that love you than you know. Sinclair Lewis knowslove-youpeople Men die, but the plutocracy is immortal; and it is necessary that fresh generations should be trained to its service. Sinclair Lewis generationsshouldmen Life is hard and astonishingly complicated.... No one great reform will make it easy. Most of us who work -- or want to work -- will always have trouble or discontent. So we must learn to be calm, and train all our faculties, and make others happy. Sinclair Lewis make-others-happylife-is-hardwant When facism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the American flag. Sinclair Lewis american-flagflagsamerica It's one of our favorite American myths that broad plains necessarily make broad minds, and high mountains make high purpose. Sinclair Lewis mountainmindamerica
