At Writer's Holiday in Wales I was entranced by true stories from other people's lives. Writers won't tell you about their novels. They say, "You'll have to read it!" However, they have countless true tales from their own lives, with just as many causes and effects, characters, sorrows and joys, and twist endings.
Several times I have found that the person I wanted to sit next to was already with a group of fellow writers (poets, novelists, whatever) or with their own husband and family. So I have sat down beside a stranger or acquaintance, hoping to make the best of it. Only two or three questions very quickly lead you to what they care about, the tragedy of a sick child or dead spouse, and who the speaker blames, sometimes they blame themselves, sometimes they regret the victim 'didn't look after himself, sometimes it's the fault of the government or the health service, "Don't get me started!"
US PR
I remember three specific characters who looked unpromising but had me entranced. The first notable occasion was the plain woman who was PR for a small American town which had few unusual attractions. They ended up kidnapping a tourist family. (First advertising for a family of four who wanted to be mock-kidnapped, forced to visit attractions of the tourist boar's choice, an all expenses paid holiday in a town which almost nobody every visited. They got great publicity nationwide. By the end of the evening I was entranced by this story. I thought I had struck lucky with my conversation companion.
When a fellow journalist asked, "Who was that dull looking women you were so entranced by?" I felt quite enraged that he thought her looks were unpromising, although I had felt exactly the same before I got to know her.
Abraham Lincoln said it exactly: "I do not like that man. I must get to know him better."
UK Writers
On my Writers Holiday and Writers Summer School I have often found glum people who brightened as soon as you engaged them in conversation.
What sort of person? The balding, badly spoken man who turned out to have written comic lines for all the world's great comedians in the UK and the USA.
WWII Sotries
The man in the wheelchair told rivetting stories about being in WWII prison camps.
Forte
The short man, at the Forte press conference. Who was he? Who invited him? I met several hangers on.
Was the PR person getting desperate? No. The short man turned out to be the VIP, Mr Forte.
Princess Margaret Reception
I was a student at a conference at a building in Windsor Great Park. We had an unexpected treat. Princess Margaret was coming to meet us. We dressed up. At least I did.
One or two strangers appeared, mostly staff for the catering. One woman wore a plain shirt dress, when I was in rainbow striped shirt in honour of meeting Princess Margaret. The woman in the plain shirt dress was Princess Margaret.
Robert Maxwell's Wife
The older lady in plain clothes at the talk by Robert Maxwell's wife. I met the visitor in the ladies toilet. She admitted she was not a journalist, just married to one. Only later, when she was introduced did I discover she was Robert Maxwell's wife.
American Woman's Lunch In Singapore
The elderly lady with the empty chair beside her at the American womens association in Singapore. I arrived seat and the young immaculately dressed Americans were all chatting away. The only vacant seat was by the old lady. I sat down and, after a few second's pause, introduced myself and asked here who she was. She was the widow of my hero. the first prime minister of Singapore, David Marshall, whose life story I had just read. It was said that he was every case. I asked her - but that's another story.
Another surprise and delight, the woman with the lop-sided face, damaged from birth. I thought the only empty seat beside her was because strangers were avoiding her. I quickly discovered she is the most intelligent and interesting. She is a prolific writer or articles and books. She always asks about my problems and comes up with to the point questions. I remember on one occasion, I said, "I've always wanted to ...," She immediately asked, "What's stopping you?"
Now when I see her in the distance, I dash straight across the room to talk to her.
“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.”
―
The best apology is changed behaviour.
Useful Websites
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/listening
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/search_results?q=listen
Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen. Benjamin Disraeli
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/benjamin-disraeli-quotes
Nobody is forgotten when it is convenient to remember him.
Benjamin Disraeli.
Useful Websites
brainyquotes
goodreads
wiseoldsayings
About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Author of Quick Quotations.
Please share links to your favourite posts.
Several times I have found that the person I wanted to sit next to was already with a group of fellow writers (poets, novelists, whatever) or with their own husband and family. So I have sat down beside a stranger or acquaintance, hoping to make the best of it. Only two or three questions very quickly lead you to what they care about, the tragedy of a sick child or dead spouse, and who the speaker blames, sometimes they blame themselves, sometimes they regret the victim 'didn't look after himself, sometimes it's the fault of the government or the health service, "Don't get me started!"
US PR
I remember three specific characters who looked unpromising but had me entranced. The first notable occasion was the plain woman who was PR for a small American town which had few unusual attractions. They ended up kidnapping a tourist family. (First advertising for a family of four who wanted to be mock-kidnapped, forced to visit attractions of the tourist boar's choice, an all expenses paid holiday in a town which almost nobody every visited. They got great publicity nationwide. By the end of the evening I was entranced by this story. I thought I had struck lucky with my conversation companion.
When a fellow journalist asked, "Who was that dull looking women you were so entranced by?" I felt quite enraged that he thought her looks were unpromising, although I had felt exactly the same before I got to know her.
Abraham Lincoln said it exactly: "I do not like that man. I must get to know him better."
UK Writers
On my Writers Holiday and Writers Summer School I have often found glum people who brightened as soon as you engaged them in conversation.
What sort of person? The balding, badly spoken man who turned out to have written comic lines for all the world's great comedians in the UK and the USA.
WWII Sotries
The man in the wheelchair told rivetting stories about being in WWII prison camps.
Forte
The short man, at the Forte press conference. Who was he? Who invited him? I met several hangers on.
Was the PR person getting desperate? No. The short man turned out to be the VIP, Mr Forte.
Princess Margaret Reception
I was a student at a conference at a building in Windsor Great Park. We had an unexpected treat. Princess Margaret was coming to meet us. We dressed up. At least I did.
One or two strangers appeared, mostly staff for the catering. One woman wore a plain shirt dress, when I was in rainbow striped shirt in honour of meeting Princess Margaret. The woman in the plain shirt dress was Princess Margaret.
Robert Maxwell's Wife
The older lady in plain clothes at the talk by Robert Maxwell's wife. I met the visitor in the ladies toilet. She admitted she was not a journalist, just married to one. Only later, when she was introduced did I discover she was Robert Maxwell's wife.
American Woman's Lunch In Singapore
The elderly lady with the empty chair beside her at the American womens association in Singapore. I arrived seat and the young immaculately dressed Americans were all chatting away. The only vacant seat was by the old lady. I sat down and, after a few second's pause, introduced myself and asked here who she was. She was the widow of my hero. the first prime minister of Singapore, David Marshall, whose life story I had just read. It was said that he was every case. I asked her - but that's another story.
Another surprise and delight, the woman with the lop-sided face, damaged from birth. I thought the only empty seat beside her was because strangers were avoiding her. I quickly discovered she is the most intelligent and interesting. She is a prolific writer or articles and books. She always asks about my problems and comes up with to the point questions. I remember on one occasion, I said, "I've always wanted to ...," She immediately asked, "What's stopping you?"
Now when I see her in the distance, I dash straight across the room to talk to her.
“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.”
―
Listening Quotes
Quotes tagged as "listening" Showing 1-30 of 716
“You're short on ears and long on mouth.”
―
―
The best apology is changed behaviour.
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
―
―
“We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it.”
― The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?
― The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/listening
The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.
Almost everybody will listen to you when you tell your own story. Billy GrahamRead more at https://www.brainyquote.com/search_results?q=listen
Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen. Benjamin Disraeli
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/benjamin-disraeli-quotes
My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me.
Nobody is forgotten when it is convenient to remember him.
Benjamin Disraeli.
Useful Websites
brainyquotes
goodreads
wiseoldsayings
About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Author of Quick Quotations.
Please share links to your favourite posts.
3 comments:
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