It Heartens Me To Think Of Verdi

America Is A Nation With Many Flaws, But Hopes So Vast That Only The Cowardly Would Refuse To Acknowledge Them.

I Do Believe That Everyone Growing Up Faces Differential Opportunities. With Me, It Was Books And Travel And Some Good Teachers.

Public Libraries Have Been A Mainstay Of My Life. They Represent An Individual's Right To Acquire Knowledge; They Are The Sinews That Bind Civilized Societies The World Over. Without Libraries, I Would Be A Pauper, Intellectually And Spiritually.

During My Lifetime I Have Met Dozens Of Writers And Photographers In Dozens Of Different Countries. But I Have Encountered No One Who Could Both Write And Photograph With The Artistry Of Robert Vavra.

I Kept Careful Record Of The Impact Of Religion On The Election In My County. The Religious Issue Permeated Every Meeting I Conducted. It Influenced Republicans And Democrats Alike. Ministers Preached Politics Publicly And Churches Distributed The Most Vicious Electioneering Materials. Practically No One I Met Escaped The Pressure Of This Overriding Problem And Both Parties Were Ultimately Forced To Make Their Major Calculations With The Religious Question A Foremost Consideration.