Having a position that enjoys authority; possessing a personality that is astute enough to maximize the use of that authority; and operating at a point in history where one's actions have the chance to be pivotal — all these are important ingredients in the power mix.
Despite occasional violent excesses, he has spun an ingenious, intricate tale that's as astute as it is entertaining.
"I will never get to the bottom of the Brod mystery," Milan Kundera writes, marveling that Brod was astute enough to preserve Kafka's novels for posterity, yet capable of doing so in such sentimental, vulgar and politically tendentious books.
That's an astute observation.
"That's an astute observation on your part," he says, "and I wouldn't disagree with it".
"That's an astute observation on your part," he says, "and I wouldn't disagree with it". For some reason, he then shakes my hand.
He asks questions in meetings that are so astute they draw double-takes.
Or would take a day or two before going, 'Oh my God, that was really astute and hysterical.' I got a little bit of that.
