The test of an adventure is that when you're in the middle of it, you say to yourself "Oh now I've got myself into an awful mess; I wish I were sitting quietly at home. And the sign that something's wrong with you is when you sit quietly at home wishing you were out having lots of adventure.

Every good thing in the world stands on the razor-edge of danger.

I think I write in order to discover on my shelf a new book that I would enjoy reading, or to see a new play that would engross me.

I've never forgotten for long at a time that living is struggle. I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger and must be fought for - whether it's a field, or a home, or a country.

But such occasions of excellence became less and less frequent. As her technique became sounder, [her] sincerity became less necessary.

There's nothing like mixing with women to bring out all the foolishness in a man of sense.

When you're at war, you think about a better life; when you're at peace you think about a more comfortable one.