Be scared. You can't help that. But don't be afraid.

I learned little save that most of the deeds, good and bad both, incurring opprobrium or plaudits or reward either, within the scope of man's abilities, had already been performed and were to be learned about only from books.

Henry James was one of the nicest old ladies I ever met.

Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.

Some days in late August at home are like this, the air thin and eager like this, with something in it sad and nostalgic and familiar.

Nothing can destroy the good writer. The only thing that can alter the good writer is death. Good ones don't have time to bother with success or getting rich.

What's wrong with this world is, it's not finished yet. It is not completed to that point where man can put his final signature to the job and say, "It is finished. We made it, and it works.