At forty, I was too old to work as a programmer myself anymore; writing code is a young person’s job.

Reality is always greater - much greater - than what we know, than whatever we can say about it.

This fascination with computer models is something I understand very well. Richard Feynmann called it a disease. I fear he is right.

Friendships are nice. So is competence.

People were so naive about plants, Ellie thought. They just chose plants for appearance, as they would choose a picture for the wall. It never occurred to them that plants were actually living things, busily performing all the living functions of respiration, ingestion, excretion, reproduction---and defense.

Having wallowed in a delightful orgy of anti-French sentiment, having deplored and applauded the villains themselves, having relished the foibles of bankers, railwaymen, diplomats, and police, the public was now ready to see its faith restored in the basic soundness of banks, railroads, government, and police.

To give up responsibility for our lives is not healthy.