It was the law that if a white man was caught trying to educate a Negro slave, he was liable to prosecution entailing a fine of fifty dollars and a jail sentence. . . Our ignorance was the greatest hold the South had on us. We knew we could run away, but what then?

Pioneering basically amounts to finding new and more horrible ways to die

Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet shelf at home.

Immunity corrupts; absolute immunity corrupts absolutely.

Science is not a sacred cow-but there are a large number of would-be sacred cowherds busily devoting quantities of time, energy and effort to the task of making it one, so they can be sacred cowherds.

That's the trouble with languages. They have to be learned.

Generally, a desirable, practically attainable idea, suggested in prophecy, has a chance of forcing itself into reality by its very existence.