One of the big mistakes they made in Europe is that the circumstances in which you most frequently read or hear the word "race" or "racism" in Europe applies to Muslims. Which is not a race. It is a religion. You can convert to this. You cannot convert your race. I could become a Muslim. I could not become a Chinese person or a black person. So they constantly use that in Europe.

There are some short essays that are very grave, and most contemporary novels are lighter than air.

I woke up at five o'clock in the morning with the whole first paragraph in my head. Now, this just shows what a slothful person I am: I tried to go back to sleep.

I never wanted to have any extra money, if it meant having to have any extra work.

Did it ever occur to anyone that if you put nice libraries in public schools you wouldn't have to put them in prisons?

Los Angeles is a large city-like area surrounding the Beverly Hills Hotel.

When I fly, I'm never afraid the plane is going to crash. But there have often been times when I was afraid it wouldn't crash. I was just afraid it was going to circle O'Hare for the rest of my life.