My mother was passionate. She was stubborn, the dominant one in the family. She dominated my father.

My life is every moment of my life. It is not a culmination of the past.

A thing well done is worth doing.

There is only one immutable law in life - in a gentleman's toilet, incoming traffic has the right of way.

Sometimes silence resolves a conversation confused by Mad Misconstruction.

Gossip is more popular than literature.

The problem with Ireland is that it's a country full of genius, but with absolutely no talent.

I feel like the writer observing the grief, but it is difficult to be detached from it.

Arnold Bennett was a writer I admired. He was actually taking notes at his father's deathbed.

An Irishman will always soften bad news, so that a major coronary is no more than 'a bad turn' and a near hurricane that leaves thousands homeless is 'good drying weather'.

In life there exist two classes: first class and no class.

You can enjoy a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness in life despite challenging circumstances. It's all in how you think about it.

The purpose of a purpose is a purpose

If you can read the book and say, ‘Space Marines, YEEEAAAHHH!’ That’s Military Science Fiction.” (Brigham Young writing lecture, March 2012)

The combination of realizing our distinctiveness along with our unity is seeing interdependence.

Sometimes it is better to work out the map for yourself rather than have it given to you, in terms of learning.

Keep violence in the mind Where it belongs (Barefoot in the Head)

But quite honestly, personally, I was much more concerned - I mean, there's not much I can do about my appearance obviously other than spending four hours in hair and makeup.

You have a nice personality, but not for a human being.

I guess some stories do not need telling.

I am up there onstage alone with that guitar. I don't have to consider no one else and whether they are comfortable. I need very little.