The world breaks everyone or nearly everyone, of their childish illusions, assumptions and wishes, often painfully and afterwards due to the personal growth in practical experience, insight and the resulting wisdom many are strong at the broken places just like mended broken bones often are, and some people even have the great insight to be grateful for the purifying fire.

Having books published is very destructive to writing.

There is no rule on how to write.

If he wrote it, he could get rid of it. He had gotten rid of many things by writing them.

It's silly not to hope. It's a sin he thought.

Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.

But Paris was a very old city and we were young and nothing was simple there, not even poverty, nor sudden money, nor the moonlight, nor right and wrong nor the breathing of someone who lay beside you in the moonlight.