The nicest thing in the world you can do for anybody is let them help you.

Men all do about the same thing when they wake up.

Act out being alive, like a play. And after a while, a long while, it will be true.

I have wondered why is it that some people are less affected and torn by the verities of life and death that others.

I have taken as much as six years to prepare a book for writing. There is such a delirium of effort in the production of a book; it's like childbirth. And, like childbirth, one forgets the pains immediately so that when you come to write another one you dare to take it up again. Some precious anesthesia sees you through.

Perhaps it takes courage to raise children.

Do you think it's funny to be so serious when I'm not even out of high school?' she asked. 'I don't see how it could be any other way,' said Lee. 'Laughter comes later, like wisdom teeth, and laughter at yourself comes last of all in a mad race with death, and sometimes it isn't in time.