With the introduction of agriculture mankind entered upon a long period of meanness, misery, and madness, from which they are only now being freed by the beneficent operation of the machine.

Criticism - however valid or intellectually engaging - tends to get in the way of a writer who has anything personal to say. A tightrope walker may require practice, but if he starts a theory of equilibrium he will lose grace (and probably fall off).

J.R.R. Tolkien

Airline travel is hours of boredom interrupted by moments of stark terror.

Al Boliska

Modern cosmetic surgeons have a direct financial interest in a social role for women that requires them to feel ugly. They do not simply advertise for a share of a market that already exists: Their advertisements create new markets. It is a boom industry because it is influentially placed to create its own demand through the pairing of text with ads in women's magazines. The industry takes out ads and gets coverage; women get cut open. They pay their money and they takes their chances. As surgeons grow richer, they are able to command larger and brighter ad spaces.

Naomi Wolf

This is the gospel of labour, ring it, ye bells of the kirk! The Lord of Love came down from above, to live with the men who work. This is the rose that He planted, here in the thorn-curst soil: Heaven is blest with perfect rest, but the blessing of Earth is toil.

Henry Van Dyke

Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.

Marcus Aurelius

I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty.

Georgia O'Keeffe

All the risks have been taken. Allowing me room to fly.

Coco J. Ginger

Courage can't see around corners but goes around them anyway.

Mignon McLaughlin

I take mentoring very seriously and I am on the board of an organization called Girls Write Now, where we match teen girls and writing mentors because it changes their lives.

Tayari Jones

My interest in desperation lies only in that sometimes I find myself having become desperate. Very seldom do I start out that way. I can see of course that, in the abstract, thinking and all activity is rather desperate.

Willem de Kooning

It is a science fact that some animals do dream.It'll someday lead them to places better than zoo.

Toba Beta

Time is the devourer of all things.

Ovid