If at first you don't succeed, before you try again, stop to figure out what you did wrong. Leo Rosten More Quotes by Leo Rosten More Quotes From Leo Rosten Humor is, I think, the subtlest and chanciest of literary forms. It is surely not accidental that there are a thousand novelists, essayists, poets or journalists for each humorist. It is a long, long time between James Thurbers. Leo Rosten laughtertimethinking Every writer is a narcissist. This does not mean that he is vain; it only means that he is hopelessly self-absorbed. Leo Rosten selfwritingmean Hope is ambiguous, but fear is precious. Leo Rosten ambiguous In the dark colony of night, when I consider man's magnificent capacity for malice, madness, folly, envy, rage, and destructiveness, and I wonder whether we shall not end up as breakfast for newts and polyps, I seem to hear the muffled cries of all the words in all the books with covers closed. Leo Rosten feardarkbook The love of money is the source of an enormous amount of good; the fact that the good is a by-product of the selfish pursuit of riches has nothing to do with its indisputable value. Leo Rosten richesselfishmoney Her cooking suggested she had attended the Cordon Noir. Leo Rosten noirwomencooking If a picture is worth a thousand words, please paint me the Gettysburg Address. Leo Rosten picture-is-worth-a-thousand-wordsaddressespaint You understand people better if you look at them-no matter how old or impressive or important they may be-as if they were children. For most men never mature; they simply grow taller. Leo Rosten menchildrenpeople Some things are so unexpected that no one is prepared for them. Leo Rosten preparedfutureunexpected First-rate people hire first-rate people; second-rate people hire third-rate people. Leo Rosten businesspeoplefirsts Why did God give me two ears and one mouth? So that I will hear more and talk less. Leo Rosten earsgivingtwo For some not to be martyrs is martyrdom indeed. Leo Rosten martyrdommartyr Acting is a form of deception, and actors can mesmerize themselves almost as easily as an audience. Leo Rosten deceptionactorsacting It is not that which is beautiful that pleases us, but that which pleases is is called beautiful. Leo Rosten wisdomattitudebeautiful I came to believe it not true that "the coward dies a thousand deaths, the brave man only one." I think it is the other way around: It is the brave who die a thousand deaths. For it is imagination, and not just conscience, which doth make cowards of us all. Those who do not know fear are not truly brave. Leo Rosten menbelievethinking I cannot believe that the purpose of life is (merely) to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate. I think it is above all to matter, to count, to stand for something. To have it make some difference that you lived at all. Leo Rosten Most men do not mature, they simply grow taller. Leo Rosten Courage is the capacity to confirm what can be imagined. Leo Rosten Humor is, I think, the sublets and chanciest of literary forms. It is surely not accidental that there are a thousand novelists, essayists, poets or journalists for each humorist. It is a long, long time between James Thurbers Leo Rosten An angel is a spiritual creature created by God without a body for the service of Christendom and the church. Leo Rosten serviceangelspiritualgod
