The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.

Cities have always been the fireplaces of civilization, whence light and heat radiated out into the dark.

Never violate the sacredness of your individual self-respect.

Outward judgment often fails, inward judgment never.

Democracy means not "I am as good as you are" but "You are as good as I am.".

The books that help you the most are those which make you think the most.

Magnificent promises are always to be suspected.

A happy wedlock is a long falling in love.

I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one. . . . But from what I see I am sure it bends toward justice.

Never violate the sacredness of your individual self-respect. Be true to your own mind and conscience, your heart and your soul. So only can you be true to God.

Nature is man's religious book, with lessons for every day.

For me, just being on the cover of a magazine wasn't enough. I began to think, what value is there in doing something in which you have no creative input?

The Paramount executives were so pleased with Sunset Boulevard that they asked me to do a publicity tour.

... perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it.

Nobody but radicals have ever accomplished anything in a great crisis. Conservatives have their place in the piping times of peace; but in emergencies only rugged issue men amount to much.

I think when you get to the point where you don't need to be in love, then you could be in love. You have to just be OK with yourself-and that's a long process.

The ultimate goal of discipline is to teach self discipline.

Inventing is a lot like surfing: you have to anticipate and catch the wave at just the right moment.

I think a lot of the more successful artists of our time basically have barracudas for managers

My life was pouring out my feet and seeping through cracks in the floor; yet still I knelt and did not move, for fear she'd let go my hands. Let me stay, I wanted to beg: Please don't make me go.

Avarice, where it has full dominion, excludes every other passion.