The ideas for stories that thronged my brain would not let me rest till I had got rid of them by writing them.

Nothing in the world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it.

We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person.

To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.

It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.

If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too.

The secret to life is meaningless unless you discover it yourself.

The only important thing in a book is the meaning that it has for you.

It is dangerous to let the public behind the scenes. They are easily disillusioned and then they are angry with you, for it was the illusion they loved.

The common idea that success spoils people by making them vain, egotistic and self-complacent is erroneous; on the contrary it makes them, for the most part, humble, tolerant and kind.

Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young.

Don't worry about what others think of you. It doesn't matter as long as you have your own Convictions and are proud of what you do.

We had the experience but missed the meaning, an approach to the meaning restores the experience

I'm not a Gingrich fan. He's just difficult to work with. It's either Newt's way or the highway.

How you get work done is by exploiting yourself and your feelings, and sometimes people get in the way.

Sin is a thing of time, but mercy is from everlasting. Transgression is but of yesterday, but mercy was ever of old. Before you and I sought the Lord, the Lord sought us.

If you ask me, most people have children just as their own enthusiasm about life begins to wane.

How can you go out on a limb if you do not know your own tree? No art ever came out of not risking your neck. And risk--experiment--is a considerable part of the joy of doing.

If by some fiat I had to restrict all this writing to one sentence, this is the one I would choose: The summit of Mt. Everest is marine limestone.

Look at Abi Titmuss. This year she's been tied to more bed posts than David Blunkett's guide dog.

Cat angels are the reason there are no mice angels.