We are all vainer of our luck than of our merits.

A guest is a jewel on the cushion of hospitality

A schedule broken at will becomes a mere procession of vagaries.

Everyone has something they don't want anyone to see; that is one of the functions of a home, to provide a spot to keep such things.

I think the detective story is by far the best upholder of the democratic doctrine in literature. I mean, there couldn't have been detective stories until there were democracies, because the very foundation of the detective story is the thesis that if you're guilty you'll get it in the neck and if you're innocent you can't possibly be harmed. No matter who you are.

I still can't decide which is more fun - reading or writing.

All my important decisions are made for me by my subconscious. My frontal lobes are just kidding themselves that they decide anything at all. All they do is think up reasons for the decisions that are already made.