When modern writers gave up telling stories, they gave up the greatest thing we had.

Nothing in the universe can travel at the speed of light, they say, forgetful of the shadow's speed.

For a Jewish Puritan of the middle class, the novel is serious, the novel is work, the novel is conscientious application why, the novel is practically the retail business all over again.

A teacher is a person who never says anything once.

Write what you know. That should leave you with a lot of free time.

I would talk in iambic pentameter if it were easier.

I like all my children, even the squat and ugly ones.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely; and if you surrender your personal responsibility to a government which promises to take care of you, they will only take care of themselves.

When Robert Frost was alive, I was known as the other new England poet, which is to be barely known at all.

Robert Frost had always said you mustn't think of the last line first, or it's only a fake poem, not a real one. I'm inclined to agree.

[T]eaching has been for me an education (Lord knows what it has been for my students).

A long apprenticeship is the most logical way to success. The only alternative is overnight stardom, but I can't give you a formula for that.

I cannot hate them because nothing binds me to them

You always want to start with a bang and put your best food forward.

Eight generations of African-Americans are still waiting to achieve their rights - compensation and restitution for the hundreds of years during which they were bought and sold on the market.

When we as a society lose the ability to comment on what we see and to have an opinion on what we are exposed to, then we have all lost what makes us unique on this planet.

You'd better do what you feel good about doing. If we [try] to figure out what it is the audience wants and then try to deliver it to them, we're lost souls on the ghost ship forever.

It sounds really stupid, I hate making cosmic comments like this but, I just let it do what it wants to do.

I would say that if you really want to STOP knowing someone, you have to divorce him.

If not for the cost burdens of fear we would all be living in paradise

Choose a good disagreeable friend, if you be wise--a surly, steady, economical, rigid fellow.