We only have one story. All novels, all poetry are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil.

If I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an' work, an' no trouble.

My whole work drive has been aimed at making people understand each other. . .

Fearful and unprepared, we have assumed lordship over the life or death of the whole world, of all living things.

Literature is as old as speech. It grew out of a human need for it, and it has not changed except to become more needed

If a story is not about the hearer, he will not listen. And here I make a rule—a great and interesting story is about everyone or it will not last.

The Mexican War was a training ground for generals, so that when the sad self-murders settled on us, the leaders knew the techniques for making it properly horrible.