I began writing when I was still in the British Foreign Service, and it was then understood that even if you wrote about butterfly collecting, you used another name.
John Le CarreRead
I think I'm in the same mood as ever, but in some ways more mature. I guess you could say that, at 65, when you've seen the world shape up as I have, there are only two things you can do: laugh or kill yourself.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life's challenges can either be met with humor or despair as one gains maturity.
In this quote, John Le Carre reflects on his life experiences and the inevitability of facing hardships as one ages. He emphasizes that maturity comes with a broader perspective on life, leading to a humorous outlook or a dark contemplation of existence, suggesting that laughter is the better choice for coping with the complexities of life.
Themes
MaturityHumorLifePerspectiveChallenges
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about aging and life experiences.
More from John Le Carre
All quotes →In every war zone that I've been in, there has been a reality and then there has been the public perception of why the war was being fought. In every crisis, the issues have been far more complex than the public has been allowed to know.
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The cat sat on the mat is not a story. The cat sat on the other cat’s mat is a story.
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The monsters of our childhood do not fade away, neither are they ever wholly monstrous.
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Coming home from very lonely places, all of us go a little mad: whether from great personal success, or just an all-night drive, we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen.
John Le CarreRead
If I had to put a name to it, I would wish that all my books were entertainments. I think the first thing you've got to do is grab the reader by the ear, and make him sit down and listen. Make him laugh, make him feel. We all want to be entertained at a very high level.
John Le CarreRead
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