I like to have Chinese furniture in my home as a constant and painful reminder of how much has been destroyed in China. The contrast between the beauty of the past and the ugliness of the modern is nowhere sharper than in China.

Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.

Phaedrus

My original inspiration was my mom: a few years after the death of my dad, she started dating one my teachers!

Meg Cabot

Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun.

Pablo Picasso

No experience is a cause of success or failure. We do not suffer from the shock of our experiences, so-called trauma - but we make out of them just what suits our purposes.

Alfred Adler

When their adventures do not succeed, however, they run away; but it was the mark of a brave man to face things that are, and seem, terrible for a man, because it is noble to do so and disgraceful not to do so.

Aristotle

Artists know that diligence counts as much, if not more, as inspiration in art, as in politics, patience counts as much as revolution.

Tony Kushner

The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.

Socrates

Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better.

William Shakespeare

Listen once in a while. It's amazing what you can hear.

Russell Baker

Joy is free, unrestrained passion

Eileen Stukane

Teenage readers also have a different relationship with the authors whose work they value than adult readers do. I loved Toni Morrison, but I don't have any desire to follow her on Twitter. I just want to read her books.

John Green

People ridiculously overvalue aesthetics and beauty when evaluating products. It's one of the reasons iPods, and, for that matter, Keanu Reeves, are so successful.

Joel Spolsky