Any man's life can be seen as a series of engagements with his fathers, Including the surrogates provided by life and literature.

— Richard Brookhiser

A storyteller, a displaced poet, will absorb reading differently.

— Richard Brookhiser

As with almost every long oration, there were loose ends.

— Richard Brookhiser

Depression can seem absurdly self aggrandizing to those who do not experience it, But that does not make it any less painful to those who do.

— Richard Brookhiser

Dominance can be a temptation to division. "There are so many of us, we can afford to fight amongst ourselves.

— Richard Brookhiser

God produced great writing, a matter of first importance to a man like Lincoln, ever impressed with the nature of cause and forces.

— Richard Brookhiser

He might not take their advice, but he took their temperature.

— Richard Brookhiser

Humor and seriousness can be an unstable mix.

— Richard Brookhiser

It was as simple as walking and as hard as walking on with so far gone and so far yet to go.

— Richard Brookhiser

Jefferson could strike up the band even when he was being lazy or fearful.

— Richard Brookhiser