Optimism can keep a fool from accepting failure.

Something, or something awful or something wonderful was certain to happen on every day in this part of Africa.

There is a mystery in all great writing and that mystery does not dissect out. It continues and is always valid.

My writing is nothing, my boxing is everything.

When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve.

When I had finished the book I knew that no matter what Scott did, nor how he behaved, I must know it was like a sickness and be of any help I could to him and try to be a good friend. He had many good, good friends, more than anyone I knew. But I enlisted as one more, whether I could be of any use to him or not. If he could write a book as fine as The Great Gatsby I was sure that he could write an even better one. I did not know Zelda yet, and so I did not know the terrible odds that were against him. But we were to find them out soon enough.

In the morning there was a big wind blowing and the waves were running high up on the beach and he was awake a long time before he remembered that his heart was broken.