So far I am only about 70 pages into the book by Gail Collins, When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women From 1960 to the Present, but I've already decided to get another copy of it for my mother for Christmas.
Although I am not accustomed to comparing some of my male colleagues to John F. Kennedy, this passage felt very familiar (and made me laugh out loud):
.. the publisher Katharine Graham recounted how the president had once demanded to know why Adlai Stevenson, the balding, chubby United Nations ambassador, was regarded as so attractive by his many female friends. Told that it was because Stevenson actually listened with interest to what women had to say, the president responded, according to Graham, "Well, I don't say you're wrong, but I'm not sure I can go to those lengths."
14 years ago
10 comments:
Go Adlai Stephenson! :)
I just read that and thoroughly enjoyed it! It's both entertaining and informative and definitely helped me get through my qualifying exams.
And the boyfriend says, "What? He (JFK) was joking."
I was waiting for the "he was joking" comment, and here it is (albeit indirectly).
Oh good, I was thinking of getting it for my mother and myself too, so I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Now about the other items on the Christmas list...
(Graham's memoir Personal History also had a few such gems.)
I'm glad you have time to read! Lately I am too busy or stressed out to focus for long
@HennaHonu (and others): but was he really joking?
@Unbalanced reaction: If they can say it, they are thinking it! Though it doesn't mean that's what he'll do!
It's one of those man rules: "If what I said can be taken two ways, and one of those ways hurts and offends you, I meant the other one."
But I suspect JFK was not joking, assuming that is a correctly attributed quote (which would not surprise me).
@HennaHonu: The boyfriend was joking.
Well, somebody is joking and it can't be me cause I'm probably humourless (gender predisposition).
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