"Late in spring Herzog had been overcome by the need to explain, to have it out, to justify, to put in perspective, to clarify, to make amends."

Pumpkin (2002)

"Considering his entire life, he realized that he had mismanaged everything--everything. His life was, as the phrase goes, ruined. But since it had not been much to begin with, there was not much to grieve about. ... 

... He went on taking stock, lying face down on the sofa. Was he a clever man or an idiot? Well, he could not at this time claim to be clever. He might once have had the makings of a clever character, but he had chosen to be dreamy instead, and the sharpies cleaned him out. What more?..." 

Herzog, Saul Bellow