It is gaol that finally reveals to me the beauty of Shakespeare, the spirit in his words, the jaw-dropping audacity of his language.

He imagined forgiveness was like flying, that it made you soar. He imagined that it looked like an eagle, a silver bolt in the sky, that it was pure light.

Contemporary writers annoyed him, he found their worlds insular, their style too self-conscious and ironic. Theirs was not a literature that belonged to him.

There are so many ways of being despicable it quite makes one’s head spin. But the way to be really despicable is to be contemptuous of other people’s pain.

The gods are nothing more than the creations of humans needing something to blame for their problems.

I told God, 'I don't want a man. I don't want more gold albums. The only thing I want is the love, friendship, and presence of my mother.' And God gave it to me.

What is new in our time is the increased power of the authorities to enforce their prejudices.

Failure is an indispensable prerequisite of success. It is how you learn the lessons you need.

We show our support and love the troops, whatever our opinion.

The entire banking movement, at all crucial stages, was centralized in the hands of a few men who for years were linked, ideologically and personally, with one another.

You don't want to be hard to look at. Plain very good, hard to look at bad. The plain shall inherit the earth; time is our friend.

I think sometimes I don't realise how much the pressure gets to me.

To all the seeds that follow me protect your essence, Born with less, but you still precious.