“Often we allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. We lose many irreplaceable hours brooding over grievances that, in a year's time, will be forgotten by us and by everybody. No, let us devote our life to worthwhile actions and feelings, to great thoughts, real affections and enduring undertakings.”

“In literature as in love, we are astonished at what is chosen by others.”

“We owe to the Middle Ages the two worst inventions of humanity – gunpowder and romantic love. ”

“Every ten years you should delete from your mind a few ideas that your experience has proven to be false, dangerous.”

“The art of reading is in great part that of acquiring a better understanding of life from one's encounter with it in a book. ”

“Let's not allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. Remember "Life is too short to be little".”

“Almost all great writers have as their motif, more or less disguised, the passage from childhood to maturity, the clash between the thrill of expectation and the disillusioning knowledge of truth. 'Lost Illusion' is the undisclosed title of every novel.”