Her magic formula for dealing with children is ignoring all faults and accenting tiny virtues. She says, "Instead of telling Tommy day in and day out that he is the naughtiest boy in the United States of America, which could very well be true, take an aspirin and comment on his neatly tied shoes. Almost anybody would rather be known for expert shoe-tying than for kicking the cat." She always tells whiners how charming they are--bullies how brave--bad sports how good--sneaks how honest!

I am neither Christian enough nor charitable enough to like anybody just because he is alive and breathing. I want people to interest or amuse me. I want them fascinating and witty or so dul as to be different. I want them either intellectually stimulating or wonderfully corny; perfectly charming or hundred percent stinker. I like my chosen companions to be distinguishable from the undulating masses and I don't care how.

a grudge will soon rot the pocket you carry it in.

Our little room was morbidly quiet and sorrow was heaped in my corner like dirty snow.

Dare we face the question of just how much of the darkness around us is of our own making?

In the country, weather is as important as food and sometimes means the difference between life and death.

There’s nothing as cozy as a piece of candy and a book.