Truth can be really powerful stuff if you're not expecting it.

You want to know something? We are still in the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages--they haven't ended yet.

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.

Do you think Arabs are dumb? They gave us our numbers. Try doing long division with Roman numerals.

I just know that there are plenty of people who are in terrible trouble and can't get out. And so I'm impatient with those who think that it's easy for people to get out of trouble.

I wish we had all been born birds instead.

I have been a writer since 1949. I am self-taught. I have no theories about writing that might help others. When I write, I simply become what I seemingly must become. I am six feet two and weigh nearly two hundred pounds and am badly coordinated, except when I swim. All that borrowed meat does the writing. In the water I am beautiful.