How’s the patient?” asked Derby. “Dead to the world.” “But not actually dead.” “No.” “How nice - to feel nothing, and still get full credit for being alive.

Future generations will look back on TV as the lead in the water pipes that slowly drove the Romans mad.

With words alone, Gail Godwin has created an important piece of music about a love which death can only increase and deepen. Yes, and Frances Halsband's illustrations are a haunting countermelody.

I taught writing for a while and whenever somebody would tell me they were going to write about their dad, I would tell them they might as well go write about killing puppies because neither story was going to work. It just doesn't work.

Writers can treat their mental illnesses every day.

. . . but the Universe is an awfully big place. There is room enough for an awful lot of people to be right about things and still not agree.

The Earthlings behaved at all times as though there were a big eye in the sky—as though that big eye were ravenous for entertainment.