In a moving world readaptation is the price of longevity.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.

Do not have evil-doers for friends, do not have low people for friends: have virtuous people for friends, have for friends the best of men.

There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval.

The passions grafted on wounded pride are the most inveterate; they are green and vigorous in old age.

Each religion, by the help of more or less myth, which it takes more or less seriously, proposes some method of fortifying the human soul and enabling it to make its peace with its destiny.

Intelligence is quickness in seeing things as they are.

Experience seems to most of us to lead to conclusions, but empiricism has sworn never to draw them.

Man is a gregarious animal, and much more so in his mind than in his body. He may like to go alone for a walk, but he hates to stand alone in his opinions.

The Difficult is that which can be done immediately; the Impossible that which takes a little longer.

If I thought that what I'm doing when I write is expressing myself, I'd junk the typewriter. Writing is a much more complicated activity that that.

We have to do a better job at the work of anthropology if we hope to maintain our role in the public discourse.

Relatable escapism can only be achieved using facets of the real world.

When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves.

I never listen to music when I write.

Nothing is too high for the daring of mortals: we storm heaven itself in our folly.

I want to be able to control things and that's very difficult to do if you're not 100% in a particular language. It makes you uncertain and it makes you nervous.

You have to live where you wake up, even if someone else dreamed you there.

Anything nice that's said about me is diametrically opposed to who I am.

Brooklyn is kind of my writer's retreat.