Society cares about the individual only in so far as he is profitable. The young know this. Their anxiety as they enter in upon social life matches the anguish of the old as they are excluded from it.

If women really did have complete equality with men, society would be completely overturned.

I had never believed in the sacred nature of literature. God had died when I was fourteen.

To give space when what one most yearns for is closeness, that is both the great test and great tragedy of love.

It is old age, rather than death, that is to be contrasted with life. Old age is life's parody, whereas death transforms life into a destiny: in a way it preserves it by giving it the absolute dimension. Death does away with time.

What an odd thing a diary is: the things you omit are more important than those you put in.

All the opportunities you let slip by! The idea, the inspiration just doesn´t come fast enough. Instead of being open, you´re closed up tight. That´s the worst sin of all - the sin of omission.