You lose the world for a glance? Of course you do. That is what the world is for: to lose under the right circunstances.

A pier is a disappointed bridge; yet stare at it for long enough and you can dream it to the other side of the Channel.

Books say: She did this because. Life says: She did this. Books are where things are explained to you; life is where things aren't. I'm not surprised some people prefer books.

The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.

The writer must be universal in sympathy and an outcast by nature: only then can he see clearly.

The land of embarrassment and breakfast.

When you read a great book, you don't escape from life, you plunge deeper into it.

History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation.

What is the easiest, the most comfortable thing for a writer to do? To congratulate the society in which he lives: to admire its biceps, applaud its progress, tease it endearingly about its follies.

Some of the freckles I once loved are now closer to liver spots. But it’s still the eyes we look at, isn’t it? That’s where we found the other person, and find them still.

The more you learn, the less you fear. "Learn" not in the sense of academic study, but in the practical understanding of life.

Newspapers abound, and though they have endured decades of decline in readership and influence, they can still form impressive piles if no one takes them out to the trash.

I didn't move to Nashville with any inkling or dreams of getting a record deal. I didn't have those stars in my eyes. I just wanted to take a break, relax, and figure out songwriting.

It seems like everything I do musically I tend to lose a few fans and gain a few fans, and it all kind of evens out.

First we only want to be seen, but once we’re seen, that’s not enough anymore. After that, we want to be remembered.

I didn't apply to different schools. I wasn't really sure what I was going to do.

My mother was the source from which I derived the guiding principles of my life.

The road before us is shorter than the road behind.

All faiths constitute a revelation of Truth, but all are imperfect and liable to error.

The Democratic party is really just a giant day care center for squabbling little groups.

I used to work for 12 or 14 hours at a time but the digital age has made such happy immersions almost impossible.