Whatever else an American believes or disbelieves about himself, he is absolutely sure he has a sense of humor.

I am always humbled by the infite ingenuity of the Lord, who can make a red barn cast a blue shadow.

The mind travels faster than the pen; consequently, writing becomes a question of learning to make occasional wing shots, bringing down the bird of thought as it flashes by. A writer is a gunner, sometimes waiting in the blind for something to come in, sometimes roaming the countryside hoping to scare something up.

"Have you ever found anything that gives you relief?" "Yes. A drink."

Sometimes a writer, like an acrobat, must try a trick that is too much for him.

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.

Writing is hard work and bad for the health.