Life is like a prism. What you see depends on how you turn the glass.

All of us are like locks. No matter how strong the bolt, there’s always a key out there that opens it.

The science of psychotherapy is knowing what to say, the art is knowing when to say it. (36)

The characters emerge from my rather twisted mind. That's another enjoyable part of the job making stuff up.

It didn't feel difficult at the time because I was so charged up about both books. Afterward, however, I was pretty tired. In a good way, like after a great workout.

To trust someone is to take the greatest risk of all. (180)

Therapist’s dilemma: those who need help the most, run the farthest from it.

Optimism is denial for chumps with no life experience". "What's pessimism?" I said. "Religion without God.

Just because others have it worse doesn’t mean you have to suffer in silence.

I would never have been a novelist without working as a psychologist...it was a great education in human nature.

Each novel is harder than its predecessor because I must work harder at not repeating myself. However, I enjoy the challenge. This is the greatest job in the world.

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.

The trouble with learning from experience is that you never graduate.

I am a Republican, a black, dyed in the wool Republican, and I never intend to belong to any other party than the party of freedom and progress.

Christianity spread rapidly during the first century because all Christians saw themselves as responsible for disseminating the gospel.

Old age is when you resent the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated because there are fewer articles to read.

Nice things are nicer than nasty ones.

Believe me, nothing is more beautiful than to carry out crazy ideas. I'd like my whole life to be one single crazy idea.

[Writing] is harder than you think. You'll be rejected often. If you do it for money, you'll quit. Love it or don't do it.

Religion and modernity are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

If people cannot be flawed in fiction there's no place left for us to be human.