It is sometimes very hard to tell the difference between history and the smell of skunk. – Rebecca West
Before a war military science seems a real science, like astronomy; but after a war it seems more like astrology. – Rebecca West
The trouble about man is twofold. He cannot learn truths which are too complicated; he forgets truths which are too simple. – Rebecca West
Did St Francis preach to the birds? Whatever for? If he really liked birds he would have done better to preach to the cats. – Rebecca West
When I was in the Peace Corps I never made a phone call. I was in Central Africa I didnt make a phone call for two years. I was in Uganda for another four years and I didnt make a phone call. So for six years I didnt make a phone call, but I wrote letters, I wrote short stories, I wrote books. – Paul Theroux