Clearly much that seemed valid seemed so only because he had been taught it from earliest youth.

I'll give you my opinion of the human race in a nutshell... their heart's in the right place, but their head is a thoroughly inefficient organ.

A good story is obviously a difficult thing to invent, but its difficulty is a poor reason for despising it.

The author always loads his dice, but he must never let the reader see that he has done so, and by the manipulation of his plot, he can engage the reader's attention so that he does not perceive the violence that has been done to him.

Men have an extraordinarily erroneous opinion of their position in nature; and the error is ineradicable.

I do not confer praise or blame: I accept. I am the measure of all things. I am the center of the world.

I travel because I like to move from place to place, I enjoy the sense of freedom it gives me, it pleases me to be rid of ties, responsibilities, duties, I like the unknown; I meet odd people who amuse me for a moment and sometimes suggest a theme for a composition; I am often tired of myself and I have a notion that by travel I can add to my personality and so change myself a little. I do not bring back from the journey quite the same self that I took