…how monstrous the people you loved could be.

As much as some people would like to believe, for their own peace of mind, that the appearance of evil in this world had a clean cause, the truth was never that simple.

Certainly one of the surprising truths of having a book published is realizing that your book is as open to interpretation as an abstract painting. People bring their own beliefs and attitudes to your work, which is thrilling and surprising at the same time.

God, the boring relative everyone ignores--no one calls, no one writes--until they need a serious favor.

In America, people of a certain age ask, 'Where were you when Kennedy was shot?' In my house you were more likely to be asked, 'Where were you when you first read 'The Catcher In The Rye?

Funnily enough, it is the subject one dreads talking about at length one ends up talking about at length, often without the slightest provocation.

I'm not afraid of total failure. In the end, we're all just food for worms, so what are we so worried about?