Honesty is grounded in humility and indeed in humiliation, and in admitting exactly where we are powerless.

Honesty is not found in revealing the truth, but in understanding how deeply afraid of it we are. To become honest is in effect to become fully and robustly incarnated into powerlessness.

I loved their honesty, their humility and their graciousness. They were fiercely loyal, especially to me. Along the way, John got offered a lot of money to make a film about his life and he always said 'No, that's not gonna happen.' He knew I'd protect the story, make the film he wanted made. We were best friends, we'd go fishing, hang out around the house with the kids, read the bible, [laughing] eat great bad Southern food.

The author describes Lincoln's attitude in making a deal with a newspaper publisher as, "almost defiant transparency.

Early in my career...I had to choose between an honest arrogance and a hypercritical humility... I deliberately choose an honest arrogance, and I've never been sorry.

Honesty is very sexy.