I started out very quiet and I beat Mr. Turgenev. Then I trained hard and I beat Mr. de Maupassant. I've fought two draws with Mr. Stendhal, and I think I had an edge in the last one. But nobody's going to get me in any ring with Mr. Tolstoy unless I'm crazy or I keep getting better.

If you have a success, you have it for the wrong reasons. If you become popular it is always because of the worst aspects of your work.

Once in Africa I lost the corkscrew and we were forced to live off food and water for weeks.

Real seriousness in regard to writing being one of the two absolute necessities. The other, unfortunately, is talent.

She is kind and very beautiful. But she can be so cruel and it comes so suddenly and such birds that fly, dipping and hunting, with their small sad voices are made too delicately for the sea.

Fear of death increases in exact proportion to increase in wealth.

Fortunately I have never learned to take the good advice I give myself nor the counsel of my fears.