Every book takes me from 35 to 41 days to write. I don't know why that is. I've tried to get it down to 30 or 31, depending on the length of the month, but it won't work. I don't drink while I'm writing because it fuddles my logical processes, but when I finish a book I go down to the kitchen and pour myself a big belt.

What the tongue has promised, the body must submit to.

If your ego is in good shape you will pretend you're surprised if a National Chairman calls you to tell you his party wants to nominate you for President of the United States, but you're not really surprised.

Sometimes it's things that take the joy out of life, like a blowout when you're hitting sixty or a button coming off of a shirt when you're in a hurry, but usually it's people.

I don't answer questions containing two or more unsupported assumptions.

I like to walk around Manhattan, catching glimpses of its wild life, the pigeons and cats and girls.

The requisitions of the income tax have added greatly to the attractions of mercenary crime.