Understanding is often a prelude to forgiveness, but they are not the same, and we often forgive what we cannot understand (seeing nothing else to do) and understand what we cannot pardon.

Maybe any action becomes cowardly once you stop to reason about it.

The return to a favorite novel is generally tied up with changes in oneself that must be counted as improvements, but have the feel of losses. It is like going back to a favorite house, country, person; nothing is where it belongs, including one's heart.

...the tourist Venice is Venice.

We are a nation of 20 million bathrooms, with a humanist in every tub.

I was going to get myself recognized at any price. If I could not win fame by goodness, I was ready to do it by badness.

Understanding is often a prelude to forgiveness, but they are not the same, and we often forgive what we cannot understand (seeing nothing else to do) and understand what we cannot pardon.