What more fiendish proof of cosmic irresponsibility than a Nature which, having invented sex as a way to mix genes, then permits to arise, amid all its perfumed and hypnotic inducements to mate, a tireless tribe of spirochetes and viruses that torture and kill us for following orders?

Art imitates Nature in this; not to dare is to dwindle.

Students present themselves...like a succession of CDs whose shimmering surface gives no clue to their contents without the equipment to play them.

My only duty was to describe reality as it had come to me-to give the mundane its beautiful due.

I think books should have secrets, like people do.

I really don't want to encourage young writers. Keep them down and out and silent is my motto.

America is a vast conspiracy to make you happy.