[A] pessimist gets nothing but pleasant surprises, an optimist nothing but unpleasant.

I cannot agree that mountain climbing is merely one manifestation of man's spiritual aspirations. I think instead it is a hysterical paroxysm of his infantile vanity.

Wolfe scowled at her. I could see he was torn with conflicting emotions. A female in his kitchen was an outrage. A woman criticizing his or Fritz's cooking was an insult. But corned beef hash was one of life's toughest problems, never yet solved by anyone.

Labels are for the things men make, not for men. The most primitive man is too complex to be labeled.

I have never regarded myself as this or that. I have been too busy being myself to bother about regarding myself.

The only two kinds of books could earn an American writer a living are cookbooks and detective novels.

Every Sherlock Holmes story has at least one marvelous scene.