Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.

We Irish prefer embroideries to plain cloth. To us Irish, memory is a canvas--stretched, primed, and ready for painting on. We love the "story" part of the word "history," and we love it trimmed out with color and drama, ribbons and bows. Listen to our tunes, observe a Celtic scroll: we always decorate our essence.

As an arts journalist in London, working mainly for the BBC, I interviewed hundreds if not thousands of authors. From them I gleaned a great deal of passing instruction in writing and I observed one fascinating detail: no two writers approach their work - physically - in the same way.

Marriage is the gold standard of all relationships. It's the currency by which everything is valued.

There are some places you love with your heart, and there are some places that you love with your mind- the places that you love with both are called 'libraries'

Every pain is a lesson.

The human face does not always reflect the beauty that may repose in the soul.