The first-rate mind is always curious, compassionate, original, and pessimistic.

Your children vividly remember every unkind thing you ever did to them, plus a few you really didn't.

Every now and then you run across radiantly attractive people and you're delighted to find they adore you, till you realize that they adore just about everybody - and that's what's made them radiantly attractive.

Tragedy isn't getting something, or failing to get it; it's losing something you already have.

Men prefer brief praise, pitched high; women are satisfied with praise in a lower key, just so it goes on and on.

It must infuriate our children to see us always so much more forbearing with everybody else's.

To talk easily with people, you must firmly believe that either you or they are interesting. And even then it's not easy.