This is a writer’s lesson: To learn that the sounds that we imagine can be the clearest, loudest sounds of all.

Anyone can be sentimental about the nativity; any fool can feel like a Christian at Christmas. But Easter is the main event; if you don’t believe in the resurrection, you’re not a believer." “If you don’t believe in Easter,” Owen Meany said. “Don’t kid yourself—Don’t call yourself a Christian.

Dan suggested to Owen and me that we were better off to not involve ourselves with Hester. How true! But how we wanted to be involved in the thrilling real-life sleaziness that we suspected Hester was in the thick-of. We were in a phase, through television and the movies, of living only vicariously. Even faintly sordid silliness excited us if it put us in contact with love.

If you feel so strongly about what's on television, don't have one.

I'm not proselytizing my method. I don't believe that one writer should tell other writers how to write.

You can't learn everything you need to know legally.

Human sexuality makes farcical our most serious intentions.