There is something incomparably thrilling in first opening a brand new book.

In the dying world I come from, quotation is a national vice.

Beer commercials are so patriotic: Made the American Way. What does that have to do with America? Is that what America stands for? Feeling sluggish and urinating frequently?

Sometimes, I feel the past and the future pressing so hard on either side that there's no room for the present at all.

I have a good mind not to take Aloysius to Venice. I don't want him to meet a lot of horrid Italian bears and pick up bad habits.

I think it's one of the kindest things you can do to the very wicked, to give them time to repent.

If a thing's worth doing at all, it's worth doing well.