He did not think of himself as a writer for the simple reason that the world had never allowed him to think of himself in this way.

In real life as in grand opera, arias only make hopeless situations worse.

War is now a form of TV entertainment, and what made the First World War so particularly entertaining were two American inventions, barbed wire and the machine gun.

The most racist, nastiest act by the USA, after human slavery, was the bombing of Nagasaki. Not of Hiroshima, which might have had some military significance. But Nagasaki was purely blowing away men, women, and children.

The paintings by dead men who were poor most of their lives are the most valuable pieces in my collection. And if an artist wants to really jack up the prices of his creations, may I suggest this: suicide.

I never knew a writer's wife who wasn't beautiful.

Bad guys turned informer. Good guys didn't - no matter when, no matter what.