The profession of shaman has many advantages. It offers high status with a safe livelihood free of work in the dreary, sweaty sense. In most societies it offers legal privileges and immunities not granted to other men. But it is hard to see how a man who has been given a mandate from on High to spread tidings of joy to all mankind can be seriously interested in taking up a collection to pay his salary; it causes one to suspect that the shaman is on the moral level of any other con man. But it is a lovely work if you can stomach it.

If I don’t start having service I’m going to swap you all for a dog and shoot the dog.

There is no such thing as 'social gambling.' Either you are there to cut the other bloke's heart out and eat it -- or you're a sucker. If you don't like this choice -- don't gamble.

Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss.

The best thing about space travel is that it made it possible to go elsewhere.

Never pick up a stray kitten . . . unless you've already made up your mind to be owned by it.

I did the only really brave thing I have ever done in my life: I inched forward.