There were sins that were too subtle to be explained, and there were others that were too terrible to be clearly mentioned. For example, there was sex, which was always smouldering just under the surface and which suddenly blew up into a tremendous row when I was about twelve.

Free speech is my right to say what you don't want to hear.

There is no swifter route to the corruption of thought than through the corruption of language

In my opinion nothing has contributed more to the corruption of the original idea of socialism as the belief that Russia is a socialist country.

I think I exist,' he said wearily. 'I am conscious of my own identity. I was born, and I shall die. I have arms and legs. I occupy a particular point in space. No other solid object can occupy the same point simultaneously.

They clichés will construct your sentences for you - even think your thoughts for you, to a certain extent - and at need they will perform the important service of partially concealing your meaning even from yourself.

The belly comes before the soul.