No illusion is more crucial than the illusion that great success and huge money buy you immunity from the common ills of mankind, such as cars that won't start.

Certainly on the vast windy plain, there was plenty of nothing to be looked at.

It's a fine world, though rich in hardships at times.

From him to the stars, in all directions, there was only silence and emptiness.

But the English are different, and they don't know how to be other than different.

I don't do well with changes in my routine. I read at least three newspapers a day, for example. I'm frustrated if for some reason I can't get ahold of all three.

Writing is a form of herding. I herd words into little paragraph-like clusters.