Quote

Satire is focused bitterness.

Leo Rosten

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Leo Rosten
Age: 88 †
Born: 1908
Born: January 1
Died: 1997
Died: January 1
Lexicographer
Linguist
Novelist
Political Scientist
Screenwriter
Writer
Lodz
Leo Calvin Rosten
Satire
Bitterness
Bitter
Focused

More quotes by Leo Rosten

Image
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
Image
Humor is the affectionate communication of insight.
Leo Rosten
Image
Machines certainly can solve problems, store information, correlate, and play games - but not with pleasure.
Leo Rosten
Image
I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong.
Leo Rosten
Image
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
Image
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
Image
The first printed mention of bagels... is to be found in the Community Regulations of Kracow, Poland, for the year 1610 which stated that bagels would be given as a gift to any woman in childbirth.
Leo Rosten
Image
Every writer is a narcissist. This does not mean that he is vain it only means that he is hopelessly self-absorbed.
Leo Rosten
Image
Everyone, in some small sacred sanctuary of the self, is nuts.
Leo Rosten
Image
Where there is too much, something is missing.
Leo Rosten
Image
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
Image
Acting is a form of deception, and actors can mesmerize themselves almost as easily as an audience.
Leo Rosten
Image
Thinking is harder work than hard work.
Leo Rosten
Image
Where was it ever promised us that life on this earth can ever be easy, free from conflict and uncertainty, devoid of anguish and wonder and pain? … The purpose of life is to matter, to be productive, to have it make some difference that you lived at all.
Leo Rosten
Image
Extremists think 'communication' means agreeing with them.
Leo Rosten
Image
If you are going to do something wrong, at least enjoy it.
Leo Rosten
Image
Words must surely be counted among the most powerful drugs man ever invented.
Leo Rosten
Image
Hope is ambiguous, but fear is precious.
Leo Rosten
Image
Courage is the capacity to confront what can be imagined.
Leo Rosten
Image
The purpose of life is not to be happy, the purpose of life is to matter.
Leo Rosten