The only deep emotion I occasionally felt in these affairs was gratitude, when all was going well and I was left, not only peace, but freedom to come and go--never kinder and gayer with one woman than when I had just left another's bed, as if I extended to all others the debt I had just contracted toward one of them.

I continue to believe that this world has no ultimate meaning. But I know that something in it has a meaning and that is man, because he is the only creature to insist on having one

Forever I shall be a stranger to myself. In psychology as in logic, there are truths but no truth.

At a certain level of suffering or injustice no one can do anything for anyone. Pain is solitary.

The only real progress lies in learning to be wrong all alone.

The truth is that nothing is less sensational than pestilence, and by reason of their very duration great misfortunes are monotonous.

As for those whose role it is to love us - I mean, relatives and in-laws (what a word)- It's a different tune. They find the right word, but it's usually the one that wounds.