This [Thelonious Monk: The Life And Times Of An American Original] is another one of those books with the perfect blend of anecdote and analysis. The analysis is built into the anecdote. It has that right feel about it. It's not too scholarly, either.

The whole exploitation thing is funny, too. Exploitation is the nature of the world, isn't it?

I think all good art is outsider art.

There was a lot of tension between my dad and his mother and brothers. Sometimes when I was over there, I remember thinking, "I don't want to get shot."

New York exists for me. Not me for it.

Writing should be like skirts. Long enough to cover what it needs to cover and short enough to maintain interest.

I think maybe it's my personality. People don't like my face.