I do have a lot of time for people in my life, and friendship is a very important subject for me. I think I'm unusual among the writers I know in that respect.

There are things you break that can't be put back together again. And Kashmir may be one of them.

Rock and roll music - the music of freedom frightens people and unleashes all manner of conservative defense mechanisms.

What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.

One of the extraordinary things about human events is that the unthinkable becomes thinkable.

Language is courage: the ability to conceive a thought, to speak it, and by doing so to make it true.

‘Respect for religion’ has become a code phrase meaning ‘fear of religion.’ Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect.

In the cookie of life, friends are the chocolate chips.

Language upon a silvered tongue affords enchantment enough.

The whole story of migration and what that has done in interconnecting the planet is obviously something I've written about a lot.

faith without doubt is addiction

I knew I was waiting for someone I didn't understand.

You do get scrutinized in the digital age. You know they're zooming in on every pore, which you've got to forget about.

Unlike Woody Allen, I would be happy to be part of any (poetry) club that would have me.

I was in one bar band from 1965 to '69, then I was in another one from 1970 to '79 - a 9-year bar band!

When one has a great deal to put into it a day has a hundred pockets.

When in doubt, figure it out. That's the redneck way.

The discovery of a good wine is increasingly better for mankind than the discovery of a new star.

Your real self - the I am I - is master of this land, the ruler of this empire. You rightfully have power and dominion over it, all its inhabitants, and all contained in its realm.

I never could have planned this, and now I'm in my ideal situation career-wise and just sort of where I am in my life, and I'm super happy with how everything's going.

By persistent hard work you will rise to success, but ultimately your accomplishments will be measured by how you treated your loved ones on the way up.