It is by all odds the loftiest of cities. It even managed to reach the highest point in the sky at the lowest moment of the depression.
E. B. WhiteRead
A good farmer is nothing more nor less than a handy man with a sense of humus.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the importance of practical skills and a connection to the earth in farming, emphasizing both the labor involved and the lighthearted nature one should have in life.
E. B. White's quote suggests that a good farmer embodies practical skills and knowledge, much like a handyman, but also possesses a sense of humor associated with the earth, represented by "humus." It underscores the idea that farming is not just about hard work but also about appreciating the lighter side of life and the joys of working with nature. The playful wordplay on "humus" reflects the balance between seriousness and light-heartedness required to thrive as a farmer and in life.
Themes
FarmingHumorPracticalityEarthNature
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on sustainability, this quote could illustrate the balance of skills and humor in farming.
More from E. B. White
All quotes βIt isn't silence you can cut with a knife any more, it's interchange of ideas. Intelligent discussion of practically everything is what is breaking up modern marriage.
E. B. WhiteRead
The main thing I try to do is write as clearly as I can. Because I have the greatest respect for the reader, and if he's going to the trouble of reading what I've written -- I'm a slow reader myself and I guess most people are -- why, the least I can do is make it as easy as possible for him to find out what I'm trying to say, trying to get at. I rewrite a good deal to make it clear.
E. B. WhiteRead
A despot doesn't fear eloquent writers preaching freedom- he fears a drunken poet who may crack a joke that will take hold.
E. B. WhiteRead
All writing is communication; creative writing is communication through revelation-it is the Self-escaping into the open.
E. B. WhiteRead
Writing is not an exercise in excision, it's a journey into sound.
E. B. WhiteRead
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