American culture has always known success, not suffering, so we've never known what to do with this part of the Bible. The more we succeed, the more we're seduced into thinking we can control everything. We dissect Revelation to get a sense of control over the future.

There is no Past, so long as Books shall live!

If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it's another nonconformist who doesn't conform to the prevailing standard of nonconformity.

Muscles come and go; flab lasts.

People who have little to do are excessive talkers.

Salinger is a master of the memorable detail, the seemingly random gesture, the debris of mundane daily operations, the stuff that is left out of any analysis.

It is possible that our race may be an accident, in a meaningless universe, living its brief life uncared for, on this dark, cooling star