For books are more than books, they are the life, the very heart and core of ages past, the reason why men lived and worked and died, the essence and quintessence of their lives.

They that will not be counseled, cannot be helped. If you do not hear reason she will rap you on the knuckles.

If they haven’t heard it before it’s original.

Perhaps no mightier conflict of mind occurs ever again in a lifetime than that first decision to unseat one’s own tooth.

I will be brief. Not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the world’s shortest speech. He said I will be so brief I have already finished, and he sat down.

Don’t be dismayed by the opinions of editors, or critics. They are only the traffic cops of the arts.

Everyone needs a warm personal enemy or two to keep him free from rust in the movable parts of his mind.

He has a profound respect for old age. Especially when it’s bottled.

An editor should have a pimp for a brother so he’d have someone to look up to.

Every man should be allowed to love two cities, his own and San Francisco.