Remember, the firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord.

What do you do, go around trying everything once?' he asked. 'Sometimes twice.

The most dangerous thing you can do is know who you are.

Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you're doomed.

Most of us can't rush around, talk to everyone, know all the cities of the world, we haven't time, money or that many friends. The things you're looking for... are in the world, but the only way the average chap will ever see ninety-nine per cent of them is in a book.

People ask me to predict the future, when all I want to do is prevent it. Better yet, build it. Predicting the future is much too easy, anyway. You look at the people around you, the street you stand on, the visible air you breathe, and predict more of the same. To hell with more. I want better.

He felt his smile slide away, melt, fold over and down on itself like a tallow skin, like the stuff of a fantastic candle burning too long and now collapsing and now blown out.