As I mentioned, I was a carpenter for a time.

I don't read other science fiction. I don't read any at all.

I haven't been to a movie since somebody gave me free tickets to Star Wars, which I went to.

The universe is eight billion years old, the last two billion of which have produced intelligent life. During this time not one hour of absolute equity has prevailed.

It is useless, after all, to complain against inexorable reality.

This is no science, this is art, where equations fall away to elements like resolving chords, and where always prevails a symmetry either explicit or multiplex, but always of a crystalline serenity.

There was a writer in the '20s called Christopher Morley, who I remember a little bit of, who had some influence on me, but I couldn't tell you what it was.