WIST Quotations

Menen, Aubrey -- A Conspiracy of Women (1966)

Dave — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 19:04:37 +0000

His view of war — and he had seen a great deal of it — was that a general made as many blunders as he fought battles, but, by the grace of the gods, the opposing generals’ blunders were sometimes worse.

Aubrey Menen (1912–1989) British writer, novelist, satirist, theatre critic
A Conspiracy of Women (1966)

See Tartakower.

Menen, Aubrey -- Dead Man in the Silver Market, ch. 1, opening lines (1954)

Dave — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 17:59:40 +0000

Men of all races have always sought for a convincing explanation of their own astonishing excellence and they have frequently found what they were looking for.

Aubrey Menen (1912–1989) British writer, novelist, satirist, theatre critic
Dead Man in the Silver Market, ch. 1, opening lines (1954)

Menen, Aubrey -- Rama Retold, Book 3, ch. 7 [Valmiki] (1954)

Dave — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 22:43:00 +0000

There are three things which are real: God, human folly, and laughter. Since the first two pass our comprehension, we must do what we can with the third.

Aubrey Menen (1912–1989) British writer, novelist, satirist, theatre critic
Rama Retold, Book 3, ch. 7 [Valmiki] (1954)

This book is a modern retelling of part of the Ramayana.

A variant of this was inscribed on a silver beer mug given on a gift that President John F Kennedy gave to David Powers:

There are three things which are real:
God, human folly and laughter.
The first two are beyond our comprehension
So we must do what we can with the third.

Menen, Aubrey -- The Abode of Love, Part 3, “The Random Wooings” (1956)

Dave — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 17:58:19 +0000

The essence of success is that it is never necessary to think of a new idea oneself. It is far better to wait until somebody else does it, and then to copy him in every detail, except his mistakes.

Aubrey Menen (1912–1989) British writer, novelist, satirist, theatre critic
The Abode of Love, Part 3, “The Random Wooings” (1956)

Menen, Aubrey -- The Duke of Gallodoro (1952)

Dave — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 14:07:32 +0000

That is the whole trouble with being a heretic. One must usually think out everything for oneself.

Aubrey Menen (1912–1989) British writer, novelist, satirist, theatre critic
The Duke of Gallodoro (1952)

Menen, Aubrey -- The Prevalence of Witches, ch. 4 (1947)

Dave — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:41:00 +0000

It is a mark of genius not to astonish but to be astonished.

Aubrey Menen (1912–1989) British writer, novelist, satirist, theatre critic
The Prevalence of Witches, ch. 4 (1947)

Menen, Aubrey -- The Ramayana (1954)

Dave — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 19:00:12 +0000

After titanic studies he was satisfied that a thorough knowledge of the past could lead a profound scholar to predict the future course of history with greater accuracy, provided that it did not turn out quite differently.

Aubrey Menen (1912–1989) British writer, novelist, satirist, theatre critic
The Ramayana (1954)