17 Quotes & Sayings By Leo Rosten

Leo Rosten was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 29, 1917. He was raised in Los Angeles and attended the University of California at Los Angeles. He was drafted into the Army during World War II and stationed in Kansas. After his discharge, he returned to school at the University of California at Santa Barbara where he earned his B.A Read more

degree. Rosten began writing his first book during this time; he finished the manuscript for his first book, "My Father's Life" (1958), while attending graduate school at the University of Minnesota. The book was rejected by several publishers until it was published by Simon & Schuster (now part of CBS) in 1963; it went on to become a bestseller and went through four printings.

It is now available as an e-book. His other books include "The Golden Spider" (1956), "The Spider Strikes Back" (1957), "The Spider Stalks His Own Daughter" (1960), "The Amazing Spider" (1965), "The Amazing Spider Returns" (1968), "The Amazing Spider Strikes Again" (1969), "The Amazing Spider's Return to the Big Time" (1969), "Spider on Ice" (1971), "Spider on Ice Returns" (1973), "Spider Goes to Hollywood" (1976) and more than 300 others. He also wrote more than 300 columns for various newspapers and literary journals including The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times Syndicate, The San Francisco Examiner, The Boston Globe Syndicate, The Chicago Sun Times Syndicate, The New York Daily News Syndicate and many others.

He wrote several screenplays including the screenplay for the film, "Cockfighter." His book, "One Man's Family," an autobiography about his family's history of over 150 years of America is available through Simon & Schuster as an e-book.

1
The purpose of life is not to be happy–but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you lived at all. Leo Rosten
The only reason for being a professional writer is that...
2
The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it. Leo Rosten
3
Anybody who hates dogs and babies can't be all bad. Leo Rosten
4
I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong. Leo Rosten
5
A writer writes not because he is educated but because he is driven by the need to communicate. Behind the need to communicate is the need to share. Behind the need to share is the need to be understood. Leo Rosten
6
People say: idle curiosity. The one thing that curiosity cannot be is idle. Leo Rosten
7
O, to be sure, we laugh less and play less and wear uncomfortable disguises like adults, but beneath the costume is the child we always are, whose needs are simple, whose daily life is still best described by fairy tales. Leo Rosten
8
I have admired W.C. Fields since the day he advanced upon Baby LeRoy with an ice pick. Any man who hates dogs and babies can't be all bad. Leo Rosten
9
First-rate people hire first-rate people second-rate people hire third-rate people. Leo Rosten
10
Humor is the affectionate communication of insight. Leo Rosten
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Extremists think 'communication' means agreeing with them. Leo Rosten
12
Why did God give me two ears and one mouth? So that I will hear more and talk less. Leo Rosten
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We see things as we are, not as they are. Leo Rosten
14
Truth is stranger than fiction fiction has to make sense. Leo Rosten
15
Courage is the capacity to confront what can be imagined. Leo Rosten
16
A conservative is one who admires radicals centuries after they're dead. Leo Rosten