Have you noticed that the people who actually make the laws, the people in power, never make laws for themselves?

Cultivate solitude and quiet and a few sincere friends, rather than mob merriment, noise and thousands of nodding acquaintances.

Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.

The only laws a man can truly respect are the ones he makes for himself.

Believe it or not, bananas do contain a small quantity of Musa Sapientum bananadine, which is a mild, short-lasting psychedelic.

I highly recommend worrying. It is much more effective than dieting.

If a man is to be a man, a free spirit unto himself, he must arm himself not only with weapons but with ideals and concepts he is willing to die for.

There is only one purpose in hand-to-hand combat, and that is to kill. Never face an enemy with the idea of knocking him out. The chances are extremely good that he will kill you.

Since shotguns are not military weapons, your local sporting goods dealer will have good information about them, as long as you aren't black, Spanish, or a white freak.

Why did God make so many dumb fools and Democrats?

A government creates its own revolution. There can be no revolt without it.

A friend told me that one day he and I would be rich and famous. I told him that I'd trade my half of the fame, for his half of the money.

So I just went over and sat with him. Not a biggie. I wish people would stop trying to turn it into something more. He's just a kid. The weirdest-looking kid I've ever seen, yes. But just a kid.

The wisdom of all ages and cultures emphasizes the tremendous power our thoughts have over our character and circumstances.

No one can take advantage of you without your permission.

Everything is a little bit of darkness, even the light.

Every man serves a useful purpose: a miser, for example, makes a wonderful ancestor.

Because, if one is writing novels today, concentrating on the beauty of the prose is right up there with concentrating on your semi-colons, for wasted effort.

I want to be in places I've never been before.

Although the elusive 'cure' may be a distant dream, understanding the true nature of cancer will enable it to be better controlled and less menacing.

When I saw the pictures of New York without the World Trade Center, New York looked like a shadow of itself.