The secret is that there is no secret.

History is made of empires, and the United States was by far and away the greatest, richest, and fairest empire that had every dominated the earth. Inevitably, it would fall. Empires always did. But we were lucky, you said. We got to participate in the most fascinating social experiment ever attempted.

Life is never easy so that is why I never lie about my age. I want credit for every damned year.

In the particular dwells the tawdry. In the conceptual dwells the grand, the transcendent, the everlasting. Earthly countries and single malignant boys can go to hell; the idea of countries and the idea of sons triumph for eternity.

Change is like that: you are no longer where you were; you are not yet where you will get; you are nowhere exactly.

I thought at the time that I couldn't be horrified anymore, or wounded. I suppose that's a common conceit, that you've already been so damaged that damage itself, in its totality, makes you safe.

But what's so great about being a perfectionist?... You do all this work, and then the stuff you've made just pisses you off.