There were always people to snatch at you, and it would never occur to them that they were eating you up. They did that without tasting.

... since she might not be splendid, she would at least be immaculate.

Americans will eat garbage provided you sprinkle it liberally with ketchup.

My father ain't in Europe; my father's in a better place than Europe." Winterbourne imagined for a moment that this was the manner in which the child had been taught to intimate that Mr. Miller had been removed to the sphere of celestial reward. But Randolph immediately added, "My father's in Schenectady.

Excellence does not require perfection.

Make the short story tremendously succinct - with a very short pulse or rhythm - and the closest selection of detail - in other words summarise intensely and deeply and keep down the lateral development. It should be a little gem of bright, quick, vivid form

Cats and monkeys; monkeys and cats; all human life is there.