Maxims are sharp-edged half-truths.

I put second things first, and then worry about first things.

Realism: the wealth of detail guarantees the truth of the tale.

Always assume that a lucky hit will not be repeated.

Every day begins with an act of courage and hope: getting out of bed.

Asceticism without religion is just another way of cultivating peculiar sensations.

To understand a literary style, consider what it omits.