A few memorable quotes from Churchill

I have enjoyed reading Winston Churchill. Not only because he is one of the greatest leaders of all time, but because he is simply a fun author to read. He keeps a sense of humor, makes grand proclamations and tells the tale through anecdotes. What more would you expect from a man who took great pride in urinating on the Siegfried line along with some of his generals? These are a few memorable quotes from Winston Churchill:

-- FINAL THOUGHTS: "The broadening of thought is a process which acquires momentum by seeking opportunity for all who claim it. And it may well be if wisdom and patience are practiced that Opportunity-for-all will conquer the minds and restrain the passions of mankind."

-- ON FRUSTRATIONS AT THE END -- "As war waged by a coalition draws to its end political aspects have a mounting importance. It is true that American thought is at least disinterested in matters which seem to relate to territorial acquisitions, but when wolves are about the shepherd must guard his flock, even if he does not himself care for mutton."

-- ON AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY -- "But we never succeeded in deflecting the Americans from their purpose. Their national psychology is such that the bigger the Idea the more wholeheartedly and obstinately do they throw themselves into making it a success. It is an admirable characteristic, provided the Idea is good."

-- ON A FORMAL DECLARATION OF WAR -- "Some people did not like this ceremonial style (of declaring war on Japan). But after all when you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite."

-- ON THE PEARL HARBOR ATTACK -- "Silly people, and there were many, not only in enemy countries, might discount the force of the United States. Some said they were soft, others that they would never be united. They would fool around at a distance. They would never come to grips. They would never stand blood-letting. Their democracy and system of recurrent elections would paralyse their war effort. They would be just a vague blur on the horizon to friend or foe. Now we should see the weakness of this numerous but remote, wealthy, and talkative people. But I had studied the American Civil War, fought out to the last desperate inch. American blood flowed in my veins. I thought of a remark which Edward Gray had made to me more than thirty years before - that the United States is like "a gigantic boiler. Once the fire is lighted under it there is no limit to the power it can generate." Being saturated and satiated with emotion and sensation, I went to bed and slept the sleep of the saved and thankful."

-- TO THE CANADIAN PARLIAMENT WHILE VISITING ROOSEVELT -- "When I warned (French leaders) that Britain would fight on alone whatever they did, their generals told their Prime Minister and his divided Cabinet, "In three weeks England will have her neck wrung like a chicken." Some chicken! Some neck!"

What's all this then?

First things first.....I like reading.  Blame it on being the son of a teacher, blame it on Dad going over football magazines with me at a young age, whatever.  I've always liked reading.  When I met Joe in high school, he was a kindred spirit in many ways. (Hand to god, within 5 minutes of meeting each other in Spanish class, we were talking...okay, arguing, about sports.  I'm not sure we've stopped since.)  But book-reading, well, that wasn't discussed.  Part of the problem was there was so much else to talk about, between analyzing the sports section of the newspaper, and all the drama of being in high school (which, sadly, we weren't involved in nearly as much as we should have been.  But we did still talk about it.), books just didn't come up.  Not unusual for 15-year olds.  Unfortunately, once I left high school, I stopped reading as much.  I'd read the occasional Clive Cussler action novel, or any random sports biography that caught my eye, but I kind of lost myself in other things, and stopped reading as much.  Joe read more, to be expected  considering his 32* years of college education. But it still wasn't something we discussed, or really knew how the other one felt. 

Then 9/11 happened. And I realized that, if I didn't want the terrorists to win, I'd have to make books a part of my life again.  The End.

Just Kidding.  Sort of.