If a man cannot tell what he wants to do, then he must find out what he ought to do. If desire has become complicated, then hold fast to duty.

Very few of my characters are based on people I've known. It is too constricting.

But life never lets you go, does it? You can't put down life the way you put down a book.

The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.

If you’re that clever you can argue yourself into anything.

I thought of the things that had happened to me over the years, and of how little I had made happen.

I'm a complete democrat in terms of who buys my books.