Violence is the way stupid people try to level the playing field. John Gregory Dunne More Quotes by John Gregory Dunne More Quotes From John Gregory Dunne I call myself a harp because I like the sound of the word - it is short, sharp, and abusive. John Gregory Dunne short myself like sound Being exposed to the enlisted Army was an eye-opener. I thought everyone was like me, but the enlisted Army is a constituency of the dispossessed. John Gregory Dunne everyone thought me army Evading military service has a long history in American life. John Gregory Dunne service life long history Anecdotes are factoids of questionable provenance, burnished to a high gloss, often set in gilded venues and populated with familiar names as background atmosphere, purged of ambiguity in the interest of keeping the narrative flowing smoothly. John Gregory Dunne background high interest names Were it not for Jackie Robinson, Branch Rickey would be remembered, if at all, as a Bible-thumping midwestern Methodist windbag who neither played baseball on Sundays when he was a mediocre catcher for the St. Louis Browns and the New York Highlanders, nor attended games on the Sabbath as a baseball executive. John Gregory Dunne new baseball new-york games Retirement is purgatory for the former sports star. The world outside organized sports is unforgiving. John Gregory Dunne outside retirement sports world In what purports to be an egalitarian society, the existence of class is the secret about which no one speaks. John Gregory Dunne existence society secret class A writer is an eternal outsider, his nose pressed against whatever window on the other side of which he sees his material. John Gregory Dunne nose side whatever window Gavin Lambert was the first person in the movie business my wife and I met when we moved to Los Angeles in 1964. John Gregory Dunne person first wife business I love cops; I'm fascinated by the criminal justice system. John Gregory Dunne criminal-justice-system justice love I am willing to believe, but I do not have the gift of faith. I'm skeptical. John Gregory Dunne gift i-am faith believe What the world does not need is another script or television writer. John Gregory Dunne does need television world Being a professional screenwriter is perhaps the hardest occupation. Because nothing is ever yours and, by the nature of the medium, you are never ultimately responsible for your work. It can be interesting - if you have another outlet. John Gregory Dunne never you nature work Life is much more available in New York - there are a dozen movie theaters within walking distance. Living in California is easier, but you get sedentary. John Gregory Dunne new you walking life I've always thought a novelist only has one character, and that is himself or herself. In my case, me. John Gregory Dunne thought me always character I'm a great believer in the novelist being 'on the scene,' reporting, traveling, meeting all sorts of people. John Gregory Dunne meeting being great people I'm not a bad mimic, and I can pick up speech cadences that I would not pick up if I didn't hit the road. John Gregory Dunne road bad speech i-can You do nonfiction, you get to meet people you would not normally meet. John Gregory Dunne meet get you people