When audiences come to see us authors lecture, it is largely in the hope that we'll be funnier to look at than to read.

In fact, the whole thing about prohibition is this: it isn't the initial cost, it's the humidity.

When audiences come to see us authors lecture, it is largely in the hope that we'll be funnier to look at than to read.

Writers have a rare power not given to anyone else: we can bore people long after we are dead.

Writers kid themselves-about themselves and other people. Take the talk about writing methods. Writing is just work-there's no secret. If you dictate or use a pen or type with your toes-it is just work.

The middle class, that prisoner of the barbarian 20th century.

It is impossible to discourage the real writers - they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write.