He never forgot anything but he never bothered to arrange his memories. -Hazel, Cannery Row

Being at ease with himself put him at ease with the world.

A stilted heron labored up into the air and pounded down the river.

It must be a hard thing to kill a man you don't know and don't hate.

The ancient commission of the writer has not changed. He is charged with exposing our many grievous faults and failures, with dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement.

Four hoarse blasts of a ship's whistle still raise the hair on my neck and set my feet to tapping.

When you're a child you're the center of everything. Everything happens for you. Other people? They're only ghosts furnished for you to talk to.