When a man becomes a writer, I think he takes on a sacred obligation to produce beauty and enlighenment and comfort at top speed

Son,' my father said to me, 'someday this will all be yours.

I am better now. Word of honour: I am better now.

The most damning revelation you can make about yourself is that you do not know what is interesting and what is not.

It goes against the American storytelling grain to have someone in a situation he can't get out of, but I think this is very usual in life.

It appeared to the Elders that the people here would believe anything about themselves, no matter how preposterous, as long as it was flattering. To make sure of this, they performed an experiment. They put the idea into Earthlings' heads that the whole Universe had been created by one big animal who looked just like them. He sat on a throne with a lot of less fancy thrones all around him. When people died they got to sit on those other thrones forever because they were such close relatives of the Creator. The people down here just ate that up!

Everything is nothing, with a twist.