Those who formally rule take their signals and commands not from the electorate as a body, but from a small group of men. This group will be called the Establishment. It exists even though that existence is stoutly denied. It is one of the secrets of the American social order... A second secret is the fact that the existence of the Establishment - the ruling class - is not supposed to be discussed.

I speak my own sins; I cannot judge another. I have no tongue for it.

The famous are balloons far up in the sky, to be envied for their quiet freedom or shot down as enemies.

A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man.

The wedding of Christianity or Judaism with nationalism is lethal.

The apple cannot be stuck back on the Tree of Knowledge; once we begin to see, we are doomed and challenged to seek the strength to see more, not less.

Nevertheless, one learned very early that books had to be respected; they were all putative Bibles and to some small degree had a share in holiness.