I would have been content with any job however thankless, in any quarter however remote, if I had a chance of making a corner of the desert blossom and the solitary place glad.

The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.

I believe that all wisdom consists in caring immensely for a few right things, and not caring a straw about the rest.

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.

That is the supreme value of history. The study of it is the best guarantee against repeating it.

There may be Peace without Joy, and Joy without Peace, but the two combined make Happiness.

The true definition of a snob is one who craves for what separates men rather than for what unites them.

It's a great life, if you don't weaken.

Every man at the bottom of his heart believes that he is a born detective.

The robe of flesh wears thin, and with the years God shines through all things.

Without humility there can be no humanity.

The only thing what happens in the Houses of Parliament is the debate about foxes, badgers and moles

No human, no matter how ancient, or how popular, can be above the laws of Nature.

Misfortune is the best fortune. Rejection by all is victory.

For every traveller who has any taste of his own, the only useful guidebook will be the one which he himself has written.

How much can a crown be worth, when a crow can dine upon a king?

O thou, whose days are yet all spring, Faith, blighted once, is past retrieving; Experience is a dumb, dead thing; The victory's in believing.

To choose not to choose is still to act.

The thickness of the walls should be sufficient for two armed men to pass each other with ease.

My goal is to write stories that are connected, but not sequels in any meaningful sense. Like Howard's Conan tales or Leiber's Fahrrd & the Great Mauser stories.

While other kids played with cars and toys, I listened to music all day. I wanted to sing it and learn it.