There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to believe, but nothing could be done about it, and if you can't fix it you've got to stand it.

Archie was an expert at dividing the affairs of life into men's business and women's business. An empty cupboard and a full plate were the man's business, a full cupboard and an empty plate the concern of the woman.

I would rather be dead than not read

If a piece of knotted string can unleash the wind, and if a drowned man can awaken, then I believe a broken man can heal.

Everybody that went away suffered a broken heart. "I'm coming back some day," they all wrote. But never did. The old life was too small to fit anymore.

Develop craftsmanship through years of wide reading.

You know, one of the tragedies of real life is that there is no background music.