An essay is a work of literary art which has a minimum of one anecdote and one universal idea.

It is very difficult to teach navigation theory to someone who clings to the shore.

The more original a short-story writer, the odder looking the assortment of things he or she puts together for a story.

Literature has low enough standards. But we can avoid writing the worst literature if we make ourselves ask ourselves, every two or three sentences we write, 'Is that what I really think?'

The principle of literature is devotion to the particulars of life.

No work of literature is the product of only one or two conscious ideas. A story is mysteriously dense of meaning.

The secret of literature, which conventional people don't guess, is that writers are forever looking for the surprising revelation - not for reinforcement of collective wisdom.

For a short-story writer, a story is the combination of what the writer supposed the story would likely be about - plus what actually turned up in the course of writing.

Apprenticeship is one of the dearest roles of childhood, not just watching Dad or Mother, but being taught a hands-on trade.

Emily was feeling the elation of conscientious hosts when they can temporarily escape a ubiquitous houseguest.

No one is shallow and vulgar forever; sooner or later the whole species likes to be profound.

Love brightens the beauty of the heart.

You know who must be very secure in their masculinity? Male ladybugs.

The environmental movement, like all political processes, reacts best to disasters. But these are very slow, very gradual disasters in the making.

It is the responsibility of Afghanistan's new government to gain better control over the country's administration and to resolutely fight the drug trade and corruption.

Men see things late, and it may be that at times an evil fate drives them on.

There's no turning back...We will win. We are winning because ours is a revolution of mind and heart.

I was always pretty funny with my friends.

The effects of technology are always unpredictable. But they are not always inevitable.

I do believe that there's going to be a pretty strong consensus for a very strong .. censure resolution.

Interesting things happen when the creative impulse is cultivated with curiosity, freedom and intensity.