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

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

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

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.

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.

Black women were armed, black women were dangerous and the less money they had the deadlier the weapon they chose.

Whoever said diamonds were a girl's best friend sure hasn't read a good book.

There is no duty so much underrated as the duty of being happy.

Negative emotions like hatred destroy our peace of mind.

Some people are really into being music-minded and knowing all their scales and how to read music and speak the language.

Before me things created were none, save things Eternal, and eternal I endure. All hope abandon, ye who enter here.

Why don't presidents fight the war? - Why do they always send the poor?

New York, hands down. I don't want to be there in the winter, but even then it's an amazing place.

I believe in hard work and luck, and that the first often leads to the second

I'm just saying, 'Hey, throw me a bone. How about a smile, cute t-shirt? Look at me.' Nothing - unless it's a turn to their friends to go, 'Hey, why is that weird guy looking at us?'