The period of Prohibition - called the noble experiment - brought on the greatest breakdown of law and order the United States has known until today. I think there is a lesson here. Do not regulate the private morals of people. Do not tell them what they can take or not take. Because if you do, they will become angry and antisocial and they will get what they want from criminals who are able to work in perfect freedom because they have paid off the police.

I was the first - I was extremely unpopular with the establishment of the United States, particularly the New York Times was always an enemy, and Time magazine, off and on, the enemy, because I said things and took positions that other people didn't do.

A superficial education would be worse than none. But a full education would open every man's eyes to the nature of human existence.

Once people get hung up on theology, they've lost sanity forever.

I never reread a text until I have finished the first draft. Otherwise it's too discouraging.

One of the most fascinating aspects of politician-watching is trying to determine to what extent any politician believes what he says.

People like to re-invent you, according to cliché. There are a lot of stores about me that really apply only to Capote or Mailer or somebody else. Everything is a mish mash.