Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head.

All I want is that Americans still be able to read the alphabet in a hundred years. I am not very ambitious.

There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise.

The greatest pleasure when I started making money was not buying cars or yachts but finding myself able to have as many freshly typed drafts as possible.

Writers who teach tend to prefer literary theory to literature and tenure to all else. Writers who do not teach prefer the contemplation of Careers to art of any kind.

Nonprofit status is what created the Bible Belt. The tax code brought religion back to this country.

A writer represents his family history. My grandfather was a senator and my father served in the Roosevelt administration. In other words, I grew up in politics. This is why it seemed perfectly natural to take part in the battles of my time, and to participate in the writing of the history of my country.