Ideally, the writer needs no audience other than the few who understand that it is immodest and greedy to want more.

The Americans are clever. They thoroughly understand things that have to do with money, war, death, sickness. And there is also a real tradition of skepticism in this country.

Great critics do not explicate a text; they describe it and then report on what they have described, if the description itself is not the criticism.

Sex was a great no-no for Americans, so that was obviously an attraction to the writers, and since sex is a great part of most people's lives, it's a great subject.

The fool is often oblivious of his own gaucherie.

That is sad until one recalls how many bad books the world may yet be spared because of the busyness of writers.

It is notable how little empathy is cultivated or valued in our society. I put this down to our traditional racism and obsessive sectarianism. Even so, one would think that we would be encouraged to project ourselves into the character of someone of a different race or class, if only to be able to control him. But no effort is made.