For I chase but one hind, he says, one strange deer timid and wild, and she leads me off the paths that other men have trod, and by myself into the depths of the wood.

It is the absence of facts that frightens people: the gap you open, into which they pour their fears, fantasies, desires.

Some of these things are true and some of them lies. But they are all good stories.

Florence and Milan had given him ideas more flexible than those of people who'd stayed at home.

When you are writing laws you are testing words to find their utmost power. Like spells, they have to make things happen in the real world, and like spells, they only work if people believe in them.

You learn nothing about men by snubbing them and crushing their pride. You must ask them what it is they can do in this world, that they alone can do.

Fantasy is unconstrained by truth.

His suppressed grief becomes anger. But what can he do with anger? It must also be suppressed.

By the hairy balls of Jesus

He has never told anyone this story. He doesn't mind talking to Richard, to Rafe about his past--within reason--but he doesn't mean to give away pieces of himself.

When I was small I dreamed of demons. I thought they were under my bed, but you said, it can't be so, you don't get demons our side of the river, the guards won't let them over London Bridge.

If a lotus is to grow, it needs to be rooted in the mind.

Technical people don't make good slaves. Without their wholehearted cooperation, things fall apart.

The stupidity of one brain multiplied by twelve.

They that know God will be humble. They that know themselves cannot be proud.

In a way, there's nothing wrong with playing the piano, but it's not a huge trauma if you don't.

The memories you have are just recordings of things past, not chains to bind you.

Though philosophers like to define poetry as irrational fancy, for us it is practical, humorous, reasonable way of being ourselves.

Who after his transgression doth repent, Is halfe, or altogether, innocent.

I had a patient once who dreamed she kept her husband in the deep freeze except for mating. Lots of men feel that way.

I don't care where Obama goes. He can go wherever he wants.