There is no shortcut to life. To the end of our days, life is a lesson imperfectly learned.

I wouldn't write any kind of book without a contract and an advance. You can't invest that amount of time and effort without one.

Why can't a state that launches cosmonauts into space provide enough eggs and milk for its city children during the winter months?

My favorite word is 'pumpkin.' You can't take it seriously. But you can't ignore it, either. It takes ahold of your head and that's it. You are a pumpkin. Or you are not. I am.

I think it's important to travel around in order to get a notion of what's going on, to find out what people are think about. I enjoy talking on campuses most because people are more informed and discussion is generally livelier.

The newspaper is a marvelous medium. It is extraordinarily convenient and cheap. Let's see. This one cost 75 cents. Now that's a little high. I bought it when I was downtown this morning.

Life within the Kremlin was shrouded in impenetrable secrecy.