Americans must be the most sententious people in history. Far too busy to be religious, they have always felt that they sorely needed guidance.

Humankind struggles with collective powers for its freedom, the individual struggles with dehumanization for the possession of his soul.

A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep.

There are evils that have the ability to survive identification and go on for ever... money, for instance, or war.

Associate with the noblest people you can find; read the best books; live with the mighty; but learn to be happy alone.

I am a phoenix who runs after arsonists.

You can spend the entire second half of your life recovering from the mistakes of the first half.

Everybody needs his memories. They keep the wolf of insignificance from the door.

A man is only as good as what he loves.

When we ask for advice, we are usually looking for an accomplice.

Whoever wants to reach a distant goal must take small steps.

Sometimes it takes a meltdown to cool down.

Saigon in utter darkness this last night of the war. A gestating monster. Her letter to Linh had been simple: I love you more than life, but I had to see the end.

Oh invade me with your scalding mouth, search me if you like, with your nocturnal eyes, but allow me to sail and sleep upon your name.

People get jealous and use whatever information they have to make you feel bad and themselves feel better.

Courage is resistance to fear mastery of fear-not absence of fear.

If in the first act you introduce a gun, by the third act you have to use it.

I embrace everybody for who and what they are.

The first tenet is that you should report corruption regardless of loyalty to incumbent or party.

It is bad to be oppressed by a minority, but it is worse to be oppressed by a majority.

An ecstasy is a thing that will not go into words; it feels like music.