One simply cannot pay tribute to Stephen Covey without saying at the outset that he was a lovely human being.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
The great pleasure that comes from reading poets such as Mark Doty and Marianne Moore is the realisation that the essential virtues - compassion, wonder, humility, respect for the mysterious - are far from conventionally heroic.
It is very difficult for a writer of my generation, if he is honest, to pretend indifference to the work of Somerset Maugham. He was always so entirely there.
I'm a huge fan of Jack Lemmon, he was someone who managed to tread that line between comedy and tragedy and sometimes give very big performances, but they were never over-demonstrative and they were never not based on a kind of real truthful human being.
Denis Healey refused to contribute an article to the 'Guardian' about his intentions, and was punished by the electorate - and then all Labour MPs - for his presumption in assuming they already knew everything about him. He became famously the best prime minister we never had. Perhaps.
The novelist must look on humanity without partiality or prejudice. His sympathy, like that of the historian, must be unbounded, and untainted by sect or party.
He's not the finest character that ever lived. But he's a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid.
A modest man is usually admired, if people ever hear of him.
What a person praises is perhaps a surer standard, even than what he condemns, of his own character, information and abilities.
How can you not love Jack Gleeson? He's amazing. He's the nicest guy.
Though we take from a covetous man all his treasure, he has yet one jewel left; you cannot bereave him of his covetousness.