You know what the critics are. If you tell the truth they only say you're cynical and it does an author no good to get a reputation for cynicism.

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.

So this had been all I wanted, a boy who understood how I felt. Now, though, I sometimes wished for more.

That dress makes me want to do bad things to you." There was a long pause in which her sweet honeysuckle scent grew, twisting around him. Finally she spoke, her voice low. "What kinds of things?

Do good though, will you?" She blinked brightly at the green girl. "If not for your parents or your grandmother, then for me?

People have a tremendous range of options of how they can behave. There's so much in people.

We don't believe because we understand. We understand because we believe.

If you know what life is worth, you will look for yours on earth.

we are all given the ingredients of happiness, but the mixing is left to ourselves.

Did not God Sometimes withhold in mercy what we ask, We should be ruined at our own request.

The beauty of America is people can do what they like.

I know my mom said as early as she can remember letting me watch TV, my one treat a week when I was like 6 was to stay up and watch 'Saturday Night Live.'