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 More Quotes by Sinclair Lewis More Quotes From Sinclair Lewis It has not yet been recorded that any human being has gained a very large or permanent contentment from meditation upon the fact that he is better off than others. Sinclair Lewis contentment meditation facts In everything was the spirit of children's play - not the rule-ridden, time-killing play of adults that is a preparation for death, but the busy and credulous play of children that is a preparation for life. Sinclair Lewis preparation play children The greatest mystery about a human being is not his reaction to sex or praise, but the manner in which he contrives to put in twenty-four hours a day. It is this which puzzles the longshoreman about the clerk, the Londoner about the bushman. Sinclair Lewis clerks twenties sex Being a man given to oratory and high principles, he enjoyed the sound of his own vocabulary and the warmth of his own virtue. Sinclair Lewis vocabulary principles men That nation is proudest and noblest and most exalted which has the greatest number of really great men. Sinclair Lewis really-great numbers men Whatever the misery, he could not regain contentment with a world which, once doubted, became absurd. Sinclair Lewis misery contentment world It is one of the major tragedies that nothing is more discomforting than the hearty affection of the Old Friends who never were friends. Sinclair Lewis affection old-friends tragedy There was much conversation, most of which sounded like the rest of it. Sinclair Lewis conversation The middle class, that prisoner of the barbarian 20th century. Sinclair Lewis barbarians century class Paris is one of the largest, and certainly it is the pleasantest, of modern American cities. Sinclair Lewis modern paris cities You've been telling us about how to secure peace, but come on, now, General-just among us Rotarians and Rotary Anns-'fess up! With your great experience, don't you honest, cross-your-heart, think that perhaps-just maybe-when a country has gone money-mad, like all our labor unions and workmen, with their propaganda to hoist income taxes, so that the thrifty and industrious have to pay for the shiftless ne'er-do-weels, then maybe, to save their lazy souls and get some iron into them, a war might be a good thing? Come on, now, tell your real middle name, Mong General! Sinclair Lewis real war country In other countries, art and literature are left to a lot of shabby bums living in attics and feeding on booze and spaghetti, but in America the successful writer or picture-painter is indistinguishable from any other decent businessman. Sinclair Lewis writing country art His name was George F. Babbitt, and . . . he was nimble in the calling of selling houses for more than people could afford to pay. Sinclair Lewis names house people Good Lord, I don't know what 'rights' a man has! And I don't know the solution of boredom. If I did, I'd be the one philosopher that had the cure for living. But I do know that about ten times as many people find their lives dull, and unnecessarily dull, as ever admit it; and I do believe that if we busted out and admitted it sometimes, instead of being nice and patient and loyal for sixty years, and then nice and patient and dead for the rest of eternity, why, maybe, possibly, we might make life more fun. Sinclair Lewis nice fun believe The game (baseball)was a custom of his clan, and it gave outlet for the homicidal and sides-taking instincts which Babbitt called "patriotism" and "love of sport." Sinclair Lewis baseball games sports What are these unheard of sins you condemn so much - and like so well? Sinclair Lewis unheard wells sin Do you think it's so snobbish, to want to see something besides one's fellow citizens abroad? Sinclair Lewis citizens travel thinking Every compulsion is put upon writers to become safe, polite, obedient, and sterile. In protest, I declined election to the National Institute of Arts and Letters some years ago, and now I must decline the Pulitzer Prize. Sinclair Lewis letters years art In fact, the whole thing about prohibition is this: it isn't the initial cost, it's the humidity. Sinclair Lewis prohibition cost facts Fine, large, meaningless, general terms like romance and business can always be related. They take the place of thinking, and are highly useful to optimists and lecturers. Sinclair Lewis fine romance thinking
