In one long glorious acknowledgment of failure, he laid himself bare before God.

It was human nature. You didn't give everything away; if you did, you would have nothing left.
There were those who took the view that there was a liberation in the act of confession, but mostly they tended to be the ones who were listening, and not the ones confessing. The only full confessions occur on deathbeds; all others are partial, modified.

...telling doesn't help me - it helps you. As Wilde says, It is the confession, not the priest, that gives absolution...

Nobody wants to read about the honest lawyer down the street who does real estate loans and wills. If you want to sell books, you have to write about the interesting lawyers - the guys who steal all the money and take off. That's the fun stuff.

It may seem odd that I'm here today - the unapologetic writer of popular fiction - on Faulkner's front porch about to announce the finalists for the National Book Award, which are our most prestigious literary awards.

Sistrunk looked angrily at Lettie and said, "I'm allowed to be paid for my time and expenses, plus there is the matter of the loans. When can I expect the money?"
"In due course," Jake said.
"I want it now."
"Well, you're not getting it now."
"Then I'll sue."
"Fine. I'll defend."
"And I'll preside," Judge Atlee said. "I'll give you a trial date in about four years.