When you start reading nonfiction books about piracy, you realize that it's actually just a history of desperate people.

In love, as in life, one misheard word can be tremendously important. If you tell someone you love them, for instance, you must be absolutely certain that they have replied "I love you back" and not "I love your back" before you continue the conversation.

Wherever it's good, whatever strange, faraway land, let's go there, let's stay in that place alone.

It is not always the job of people shouting outside impressive buildings to solve problems. It is often the job of the people inside, who have paper, pens, desks, and an impressive view.

Just about everybody has written a first novel that they throw away before writing their actual first novel.

I think I’ve always believed that there is one person in the universe who you’re truly meant for–for whom you are truly meant–and the fact that sometimes there are two or even more people on the earth you can fall in love with really bothers me. It suggests that if you work hard you can be meant for anyone.

There is no easy way to train an apprentice. My two tools are example and nagging.