In its January issue, writers from Esquire magazine interviewed a number of accomplished men and women in search of “wisdom and damn good advice.”

Inevitably, the interviews don’t always hit that high mark. But—and this probably says something about the skills of the writers and editors involved—surprisingly often, they do.

I thought I’d post a few of the more insightful and thought-provoking quotes here and there.

Here’s Robert Caro—certainly one of my heroes—on power.

There’s an old saying: All power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The more I’ve learned, the less I believe it. Power doesn’t always corrupt. WHat power always does is reveal. WHen a guy gets into a position where he doesn’t have to worry anymore, then you see what he wanted to do all along.

…Power can be like a sword, a very unusual sword. Not only does it have a sharp blade but a sharp handle. So it cuts into not only the people it’s being used against but also into the people who are using it.

Great stuff. Especially when considered in the context of LBJ, Caro’s second great subject.