The writer has three sources: imagination, observation, and experience

To live anywhere in the world today and be against equality because of race or color is like living in Alaska and being against snow.

The clock tick-tocked, solemn and profound. It might have been the dry pulse of the decaying house itself, after a while it whirred and cleared its throat and struck six times.

It's not when you realize that nothing can help you — religion, pride, anything — it's when you realize that you don't need any aid.

One of the saddest things is that the only thing that a man can do for eight hours a day, day after day, is work. You can't eat...nor make love for eight hours...

...I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire...I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all of your breath trying to conquer it. Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools.

I'm inclined to think that a military background wouldn't hurt anyone.