Our story opens in the mind of Luther L. (L for LeRoy) Fliegler, who is lying in his bed, not thinking of anything, but just aware of sounds, conscious of his own breathing, and sensitive to his own heartbeats. Lying beside him is his wife, lying on her right side and enjoying her sleep.

Socially, I never belonged to any class, rich or poor. To the rich I was poor, and to the poor I was poor pretending to be like the rich.

Book reviewers are little old ladies of both sexes.

They say great themes make great novels

George Gershwin died on July 11, 1937, but I don’t have to believe it if I don’t want to.

Well, men go to musicals. Women are the ones that buy the tickets for plays.

I can get very depressed by a review that is unfair, unreasonable, and totally destructive.