Aphorisms Are Bad For Novels. They Stick

To Be Misunderstood Can Be The Writer's Punishment For Having Disturbed The Reader's Peace. The Greater The Disturbance, The Greater The Possibility Of Misunderstanding.

Two People Making Love, She Once Said, Are Like One Drowned Person Resuscitating The Other.

The Tension Between 'yes' And No', Between 'i Can' And 'i Cannot,' Makes Us Feel That, In So Many Instances, Human Life Is An Interminable Debate With One's Self.

To Choose A Writer For A Friend Is Like Palling Around With Your Cardiologist, Who Might Be Musing As You Talk To Him That You Are A Sinking Man. A Writer's Love For Another Writer Is Never Quite Free Of Malice. He May Enjoy Discussing Your Failures Even More Than You Do. He Probably Sees You As Tragic, Like His Characters - Or Unworthy Of Tragedy, Which Is Worse.

Travel Is Like Adultery: One Is Always Tempted To Be Unfaithful To One's Own Country. To Have Imagination Is Inevitably To Be Dissatisfied With Where You Live. There Is In Men, As Peter Quennell Said, "a Centrifugal Tendency." In Our Wanderlust, We Are Lovers Looking For Consummation.