The books I read I do enjoy, very much; otherwise I wouldn't read them. Most of them are for review, for the New York Review of Books, and substantial.

Novels begin, not on the page, but in meditation and day-dreaming - In thinking, not writing.

The despairing soul is a rebel.

The suicide does not play the game, does not observe the rules. He leaves the party too soon, and leaves the other guests painfully uncomfortable.

Reading yields a wish to write, I think, except if the reading is dull and uninspiring.

The only people who claim that money is not important are people who have enough money so that they are relieved of the ugly burden of thinking about it.

The third man in the ring makes boxing possible.