In other words

Hendrik van Loon (1882-1944), The Story of Mankind

I loved my mother but never had any sincere affection for my father. This aversion has gone so far that when occasionally a sincere lover of one of my books ask me for a photograph, I will send him a picture, not of my face, but of my hands, for those hands are the hands of my mother.

History is the mighty Tower of Experience, which Time has built amidst the endless fields of bygone ages. It is no easy task to reach the top of this ancient structure and get the benefit of the full view. There is no elevator, but young feet are strong and it can be done.

Charles Joseph Finger (1869-1941)

I cannot separate enjoyment from writing.

A man has to cultivate somehow a sort of zest. He has to be interested. He must go through life with a lilt, not trudge along. Above all, he must believe in himself, not seeing failure for what they are, after all, merely stumbling blocks and quite in the routine of things, but trying his experiment to the end.