Quotes from David Murray

The name Chipangu is the transliteration of the Chinese name which modern scholars write Chi-pen-kue, by which Japan was then known in China.

To be a fine human being, you have to be... Strong and gentle Proud and humble Enthusiastic and calm Fun and serious Bold and careful Self-aware, but not self-conscious Candid and discreet Discriminating and democratic Loyal (when it's called for) Generous, but not to a fault Self-loving, but not self-worshiping Sometimes aggressive but never violent Intellectual and instinctive Logical and musical.

Wisdom ages well.

Except in situations of extreme uncertainty- invasions, assassinations, epidemics, earthquakes- people don't necessarily want to be told, "That's the way it is." But they do want to be told, "That's the way I think it is," by someone they feel they know, and by someone who lots of their friends feel they know.

Like characters in good books or movies, families and friends don't communicate with one another in composed prose. It's all action. Even the words we use- the movie characters' dialogue- are action. And it's almost all improvised.