Those who fought know a secret about themselves, and it is not very nice.

Every war is ironic because every war is worse than expected. Every war constitutes an irony of situation because its means are so melodramatically disproportionate to its presumed ends.

Travel at its truest is thus an ironic experience, and the best travellers . . . seem to be those able to hold two or three inconsistent ideas in their minds at the same time, or able to regard themselves as at once serious persons and clowns.

The more violent the body contact of the sports you watch, the lower the class.

The worst thing about war was the sitting around and wondering what you were doing morally.

I find nothing more depressing than optimism.

Travel sharpens the senses. Abroad one feels, sees and hears things in an abnormal way.