History is written by those who hang heroes.

We fight not for glory, nor for wealth, nor honour but only and alone for freedom which no good man surrenders but with his life.

Historians from England will say I am a liar, but history is written by those who have hanged heroes.

I have brought you to the ring, now you must dance.

Writers are often given the gift of being spectacularly unhappy, so that they can record the full depth of feeling.

A good book has no ending.

If we continue to accumulate only power and not wisdom, we will surely destroy ourselves.

I like nonfiction books about people with wretched lives.

If you drink enough beer, everything turns in to a bed.

Psychologically, the teaching of abstractions first is wrong. Indeed, a thorough understanding of the concrete must precede the abstract.

These great turning-days of life cast no shadow before, slip by unconsciously. Only a trifle, a little turn of the rudder, and the ship goes to heaven or hell.

I hate the idea that I have to represent any particular section of society; I just write good telly, that's all.

The only reason we die, is because we accept death as an inevitability.

I much prefer to work with dead writers, and ones who were writing four hundred years ago.