Being smart spoils a lot of things, doesn't it?

Typhoid and swans - it all comes from the same place.

There is a common emotion we all recognize and have not yet named -- the happy anticipation of being able to feel contempt.

In her way, she was a hard one. Faith in any sort of natural justice was nothing but a night light; she knew of that. Whatever she did, she would end the same way with everyone does: flat on her back with a tube in her nose, wondering, "Is this all?

The worm that destroys you is the temptation to agree with your critics, to get their approval.

I think it's easy to mistake understanding for empathy - we want empathy so badly. Maybe learning to make that distinction is part of growing up. It's hard and ugly to know somebody can understand you without even liking you.

And your dinner for the orchestra officials." "Haven't you ever had people coming over and no time to shop? You have to make do with what's in the fridge, Clarice. May I call you Clarice?