Once you're in a particular country, and you're surrounded by musicians who are so adept at traditional music, you suddenly realize how much there is to explore and digest and learn and experience.

The money-getter who pleads his love of work has a lame defense, for love of work at money-getting is a lower taste than love of money.

Ambrose Bierce

I do insist on making what I hope is sense so there's always a coherent narrative or argument that the reader can follow.

Howard Nemerov

I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.

Vincent Van Gogh

It has taken me all my life to understand it is not necessary to understand everything.

Rene Coty

Here's something else to think about: calling when you say you're going to is the very first brick in the house you are building of love and trust. If he can't lay this one stupid brick down, you ain't never gonna have a house baby, and it's cold outside.

Greg Behrendt

Having books published is very destructive to writing. It is even worse than making love too much. Because when you make love too much at least you get a damned clarte that is like no other light. A very clear and hollow light.

Ernest Hemingway

The majority does not rule in America, but the minority shouldn't hijack it. And it's because we're afraid. They have isolated us and made us feel as though we're alone. We're not.

Glenn Beck

Patriotism is easy to understand in America. It means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country.

Calvin Coolidge

I like the body. I like to design everything to do with the body.

Gianni Versace

Our chief usefulness to humanity rests on our combining power with high purpose. Power undirected by high purpose spells calamity, and high purpose by itself is utterly useless if the power to put it into effect is lacking.

Theodore Roosevelt

Life is a very orderly thing, but in fiction there is a huge liberation and freedom. I can do what I like. There's nothing that says I can't write a page of full stops. There is no 'should' involved, although you wouldn't know that from literary reviews and critics.

Kate Atkinson

I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree.

Joyce Kilmer