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Meaning
The quote suggests that as people get older, they need less self-generated storytelling if real life is already engaging enough. It implies that an interesting life can reduce the need to invent inner narratives or excuses. The line also hints at a skeptical view of how people use stories to shape their own self-image.
When It Was Said
Not documented yet.
Who It Was Said To
Not documented yet.
Historical Context
Not documented yet.
Source
United States: Essays 1952-1992 (2018)
Original Language & Translation
Originally said in English.
Did They Really Say It?
The phrase appears in the book "United States: Essays 1952-1992 (2018)" by Gore Vidal (Google Books snippet); no earlier source was checked.
Did You Know?
Not documented yet.
About Gore Vidal
American writer and public intellectual
Gore Vidal was an American writer and public intellectual, known for his sharp, epigrammatic wit. He is remembered for fiction and essays that challenged the social and sexual norms he saw shaping American life. His work often took aim at public morality, politics, and the habits of American society. He was also deeply involved in politics and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic Party candidate, first for the United States House of Representatives in 1960 and later for the United States Senate in 1982.
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READ THE SOURCE
Books by Gore Vidal
Lincoln (Narratives of a Golden Age)
1985
The city and the pillar
1997
Hollywood
1991
Empire
1987
1876
2000