I just never felt so fantastically rocky in my entire life.

... even the most sublimely accomplished non-stop talker can't consistently please.

An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's.

This is a people shooting hat," I said. "I shoot people in this hat.

It always smelled like it was raining outside, even if it wasn't, and you were in the only nice, dry, cosy place in the world.

Boy, did he depress me! I don't mean he was a bad guy- he wasn't. But you don't have to be bad guy to depress somebody- you can be a good guy and do it.

If you're going to say the Jesus Prayer, at least say it to Jesus, and not to St. Francis and Seymour and Heidi's grandfather all wrapped up in one.