The writer can grow as a person or he can shrink. ... His curiosity, his reaction to life must not diminish. The fatal thing is to shrink, to be interested in less, sympathetic to less, desiccating to the point where life itself loses its flavor, and one’s passion for human understanding changes to weariness and distaste.

The only faithfulness people have is to emotions they're trying to recapture

The condition that is most disagreeable in your life becomes the most useful one. You know, I feel the same way about the U.S. Army. It was absolutely the worst experience of my life, and it was probably the single most valuable experience.

I would introduce myself if it were not useless. The name I had last night will not be the same as the name I have tonight. For the moment, then, let me say that I am thinking of Sam Slovoda.

The contradictory remarks of politicians are forgotten; the more asinine predictions of pundits are buried with mercy.

Faction is that hybrid of documented fact and novelistic elaboration.

Masculinity is not something given to you, but something you gain. And you gain it by winning small battles with honor.