He who observes etiquette but objects to lying is like someone who dresses fashionably but wears no vest.

Like ultraviolet rays memory shows to each man in the book of life a script that invisibly and prophetically glosses the text.

The more circumspectly you delay writing down an idea, the more maturely developed it will be on surrendering itself.

Of all the ways of acquiring books, writing them oneself is regarded as the most praiseworthy method.

To be happy is to be able to become aware of oneself without fright.

Work on good prose has three steps: a musical stage when it is composed, an architectonic one when it is built, and a textile one when it is woven.

The only way of knowing a person is to love them without hope.

Quotations in my work are like wayside robbers who leap out armed and relieve the stroller of his conviction.

There is no document of civilization which is not at the same time a document of barbarism.

The concept of progress must be grounded in the idea of catastrophe. That things are 'status quo' is the catastrophe

All human knowledge takes the form of interpretation.

Long books, when read, are usually overpraised, because the reader wishes to convince others and himself that he has not wasted his time.

The thing is, memory is about trust. We have to trust that what we remember is fact. And we have to trust what other people remember for things we never saw.

Metaphor is a slippery eel, if it wasn't for its shock I'd stick to the easy catch of prose.

But it is funny, because I saw Unbreakable recently and it's a strange movie, I didn't mind it, and it's got some interesting things going on.

The only mistake guys can make is to try too hard with their appearance. There's something very unmanly about it.

I try to be an example and live as Christ-like as I can.

Home has always been one of the most important things. If I don't feel at home in my space, then I feel really unmoored.

To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts.

Recovering from a gunshot wound is not a vacation. You need to, like, write that on your hand or something.

My soul experienced a peace so sweet, so deep, it would be impossible to express it.