It takes just as many men to build a sturdy man, son, as it does to build a tower. You will look back on this time and remember remarkably little of it, excpt the extent to which I tried or did not try.

Beer is amazing. Nutritional. Medicinal. A beverage, but also a meal.

Any book is better than no book. Slowly, surely, one will lead you to another, which will lead you to the best.

In Manhasset you were either Yankees or Mets, rich or poor, sober or drunk...You were 'Gaelic' or 'garlic," as one schoolmate told me, and I couldn't admit, to him or myself, that I had both Irish and Italian ancestors.

Write every day; never give up; it's supposed to be difficult; try to find some pleasure and reward in the act of writing, because you can't look for praise from editors, readers, or critics. In other words, tips that are much easier to give than to take.

A book is the only real escape from this fallen world. Aside from death.

While I was busy hating Vegas, and hiding from Vegas, a funny thing happened. I grew to love Vegas.