Nothing human is finally calculable; even to ourselves we are strange.

In fact, life itself is a contradiction if only because birth is the direct cause, in every single case, of death

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

The most interesting thing about writing is the way that it obliterates time. Three hours seem like three minutes.

In the First Amendment to the Constitution, the Founders made it clear that this was not to be a sky-god nation with a national religion like that of England, from whom we had just separated. It is curious how little understood this amendment is-yes, everyone has a right to worship any god he chooses but he does not have the right to impose his beliefs on others who do not happen to share in his superstitions and taboos.

That famous writer’s block is a myth as far as I’m concerned. I think bad writers must have a great difficulty writing. They don’t want to do it. They have become writers out of reasons of ambition. It must be a great strain to them to make marks on a page when they really have nothing much to say, and don’t enjoy doing it. I’m not so sure what I have to say but I certainly enjoy making sentences.

All in all, I would not have missed this century for the world.