I was brought up imagining that cream rises to the top, merit wins out, the race is to the swift and riches to men of understanding, but it ain't necessarily so. The swift stand a better chance if they are also beautiful.

There was a price to be paid for being interested in fiction and in writing, pushing my family away. Books and authors became my family.

A minister has to be able to read a clock. At noon, it's time to go home and turn up the pot roast and get the peas out of the freezer.

I was brought up imagining that cream rises to the top, merit wins out, the race is to the swift and riches to men of understanding, but it ain't necessarily so. The swift stand a better chance if they are also beautiful.

I want to resume the life of a shy person.

Welcome to Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.

Roy Blount's stuff makes me laugh so hard, sometimes I have to go sit in a room and shut the door