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Walter Shapiro's avatar

Jim -- I always thought that Truman's most memorable comment were his words to reporters after taking office: "When they told me yesterday what had happened, I felt like the moon, the stars and all the planets had fallen on me."

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Bruce Williams's avatar

Even in the loftiest realms of literature, examples of clear, plain-spoken, language have profound effect.

What is the central theme of King Lear? Lear states it himself:

“Who is it that can tell me who I am?”

Or later, as begins to find his way again:

"I am a very foolish fond old man,

Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less;

And, to deal plainly,

I fear I am not in my perfect mind."

The sad news that Nanci Griffith, poet and musician, had died recently reminded me of the opening lines of her signature song, “Love at the Five-and-Dime”:

"Rita was sixteen years

Hazel eyes and chestnut hair

She made the Woolworth counter shine"

A fully formed character created with 15 simple words. And what follows is a complete tale of two lives distilled in some 200 plain-spoken words (not counting repetition of the chorus).

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