A reader nails a characteristic Orwell quote on what, in one of yesterday’s
posts, I called the “dirty work” of civilization:
“Derb—I saw you paraphrasing Orwell on the Corner and, while I can’t help
you with your Gore Vidal quest, I thought it’d be nice to pass on the Orwell
quote in full: ‘People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because
rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.’ It was the
introductory quote to an autobiography of a former Navy SEAL (“Warrior Soul”
by Chuck Pfarrer). If you’re into light and easy but gripping accounts of
military action, you might want to think about picking it up.”