Category: Lit & Crit

“Every love story is a ghost story.” – David Foster Wallace, The Pale King

“Death is so often about regrets, or guilt—‘Why didn’t I call her? Why didn’t I say that?’ It’s more about you than the person who died. But finally, I saw the connection between love and death, and that the purpose of death is the release of love.” – Laurie Anderson, Heart of a Dog

“I’m standing in the room where she was dying. She’s talking in a high, new voice I’ve never heard before. ‘Why are there so many animals in the ceiling?’ she said. What are the very last things you say in your life? What are the last things you saw before you turn into dirt? When my mother died, she was talking to the animals that had gathered on the ceiling.” – Laurie Anderson, Heart of a Dog

“When my father died, it was like a whole library had burned down.” – Laurie Anderson, “Same Time Tomorrow”

“Vice Admiral Turner declared the island [Saipan] secured, putting the time at 1615 of 9 July [1944]. The next day an official flag-raising took place at [Marine General] Holland Smith’s headquarters in Charan Kanoa. For the Marines at Marpi Point, a tragic sight took the edge off a happy occasion. Hundreds of Japanese civilians, fearful of the Americans, committed suicide by jumping from the seaside cliffs. Some took their children with them. Efforts to stop them fell upon ears deafened by Japanese propaganda.” – Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Bernard C. Nalty, and Edwin T. Turnbladh, Central Pacific Drive, History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Vol. III, “Northern Saipan: End of the Campaign”

“Just before sunrise, about 0400 on 7 July [1944], like some ancient barbaric horde, the Japanese soldiers started down the Tanapag plain from around Makunsha. The attack route followed mainly along the coastal railroad. The men were led by officers, and they were equipped with machine guns, mortars, and tanks. Yet it was like military order gone awry, replaced by individual passion, a fearful charge of flesh and fire. Savage and primitive, the assault reverted to warfare of centuries before. Some of the enemy were armed only with rocks or a knife mounted on a pole. Whatever it was that drove the Japanese, or inspired them, they came on and on, straight into the muzzles of opposing guns. ‘They just kept coming and coming,’ recalled Major Edward McCarthy, commanding 2/105. ‘I didn’t think they’d ever stop. It was like a cattle stampede.’ The exact number of the attackers will probably never be known, but it was believed to approximate 3,000, including remnants of every unit on the island, even walking wounded.” – Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Bernard C. Nalty, and Edwin T. Turnbladh, Central Pacific Drive, History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Vol. III, “Northern Saipan: End of the Campaign”

“At 0730 on 1 July [1944], the 1st Battalion, 29th Marines, in a well executed tank-infantry thrust, overran Tommy’s Pimple with no casualties. The battalion then advanced, in conjunction with 2/8, toward the Tanapag Harbor area. To the regimental left, on 1 July, the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, was joined by 2/2, relieving 3/8, and the two battalions reported good progress. The day’s action included seizure of the last two Pimples, Larry’s and Stan’s.” – Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Bernard C. Nalty, and Edwin T. Turnbladh, Central Pacific Drive, History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Vol. III, “Northern Saipan: End of the Campaign”

“Success at last crowned the efforts of the 27th Infantry Division, for on 29 and 30 June [1944] the soldiers burst through Death Valley and drew alongside the 8th Marines. The 106th Infantry joined the 105th in overrunning the valley, a company from 1/106 wiped out the stragglers trapped in Hell’s Pocket, and 2/165 eliminated the die-hards entrenched on Purple Heart Ridge.” – Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Bernard C. Nalty, and Edwin T. Turnbladh, Central Pacific Drive, History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Vol. III, “The Fight for Central Saipan”

“Colonel Wallace’s 8th Marines, with 2/25 again withdrawn to corps control, found itself up against a formidable barrier, four small hills, one lying within the zone of each battalion. Because of their size in comparison to [Mount] Tapotchau, the hills were dubbed the Four Pimples. To make identification easier, each of them was given the nickname of the commander of the battalion that was to capture it. Thus, Major William C. Chamberlain of 2/8 was responsible for Bill’s Pimple, Lieutenant Colonel Rathvon McC. Tompkins of 1/29 for Tommy’s Pimple, Major Stanley E. Larsen of 3/8 for Stan’s Pimple, and Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence C. Hays, Jr., of 1/8 for Larry’s Pimple.” – Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Bernard C. Nalty, and Edwin T. Turnbladh, Central Pacific Drive, History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Vol. III, “The Fight for Central Saipan”

“After six crowded days aboard an LST [Landing Ship, Tank], many Marines were ready to fight anybody.” – Major Carl W. Hoffman, USMC, Saipan: The Beginning of the End

“The gods are deaf to hot and peevish vows: they are polluted offerings.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 5.3

“This fault in us I find, the error of our eye directs our mind: what error leads must err; O, then conclude, minds sway’d by eyes are full of turpitude.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 5.2

“Omission to do what is necessary seals a commission to a blank of danger.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 3.3

“There is a mystery—with whom relation durst never meddle—in the soul of state; which hath an operation more divine than breath or pen can give expression to.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 3.3

“What things there are most abject in regard and dear in use! What things again most dear in the esteem and poor in worth!” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 3.3

“Supple needs feed arrogance, and are the proud man’s fees.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 3.3

“Blind fear, that seeing reason leads, finds safer footing than blind reason stumbling without fear: to fear the worst oft cures the worse.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 3.2

“He that is proud eats up himself: pride is his own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle; and whatever praises itself but in the deed devours the deed in the praise.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 2.3

“The amity that wisdom knits not, folly may easily untie.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 2.3

“The common curse of mankind, folly and ignorance, be thine in great revenue!” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 2.3

“Pleasure and revenge have ears more deaf than adders to the voice of any true decision.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 2.2

“Modest doubt is call’d the beacon of the wise.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 2.2

“The worthiness of praise distains his worth, if that the prais’d himself bring the praise forth.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 1.3

“In the reproof of chance lies the true poof of men: the sea being smooth, how many shallow bauble boats dare sail upon her patient breast, making their way with those of nobler bulk! But let the ruffian Boreas once enrage the gentle Thetis, and, anon, behold the strong-ribb’d bark through liquid mountains cut, bounding between the two moist elements, like Perseus’ horse: where’s then the saucy boat, whose weak untimber’d sides but even now co-rivall’d greatness? either to harbour fled or made a toast for Neptune. Even so doth valour’s show and valour’s worth divide in storms of fortune: for in her ray and brightness the herd hath more annoyance by the breeze than by the tiger: but when the splitting wind makes flexible the knees of knotted oaks, and flies fled under shade,—why, then the thing of courage, as rous’d with rage, with rage doth sympathize, and with an accent tun’d in self-same key retorts to chiding fortune.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 1.3

“The ample proposition that hope makes in all designs begun on earth below fails in the promis’d largeness: checks and disasters grow in the veins of actions highest rear’d.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 1.3

“Men prize the thing ungain’d more than it is.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 1.2

“Things won are done, joy’s soul lies in the doing.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 1.2

“He that will have a cake out of the wheat must needs tarry the grinding.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 1.1

“I am weaker than a woman’s tear, tamer than sleep, fonder than ignorance, less valiant than the virgin in the night, and skilless as unpractic’d infancy.” – William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida 1.1

“When such a small island as Engebi is hit by about 130 bombs a day, and, having lost its ammunition and provisions, lies helpless, it is no wonder that some soldiers have gone out of their minds.” – Excerpt from the diary of an unidentified member of the Japanese 1st Amphibious Brigade, in Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Bernard C. Nalty, and Edwin T. Turnbladh, in Central Pacific Drive, History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Vol. III, “Part III, The Marshalls: Quickening the Pace”