The thin girl was gulping down one of Richard's bananas in what was, Richard reflected, the least erotic display of banana-eating he had ever seen.

We all not only could know everything. We do. We just tell ourselves we don't to make it all bearable.

Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them.

Coming over from England, I was awe-struck by what Americans do at Halloween. I find it magnificent. In England, you get the occasional fancy dress party.

Often you will discover that the harder you work, and the more wisely you work, the luckier you get. But there is luck, and it helps.

You'll think this is a bit silly, but I'm a bit--well, I have a thing about birds." "What, a phobia?" "Sort of." "Well, that's the common term for an irrational fear of birds." "What do they call a rational fear of birds, then?

I believe in absolute honesty and sensible social lies.