“People love to read about sins and errors, but not their own.”

“People read books to escape the uncertainties of life.”

“Your own family resemblances are a frustrating code, most easily read by those who know you least.”

“You can’t replace people you love with other people…But you can trust that you’re not going to run out of people to love.”

“the conspicuous consumption of limited resources has yet to be accepted widely as a spiritual error, or even bad manners”

“Literature duplicates the experience of living in a way that nothing else can, drawing you so fully into another life that you temporarily forget you have one of your own. That is why you read it, and might even sit up in bed till early dawn, throwing your whole tomorrow out of whack, simply to find out what happens to some people who, you know perfectly well, are made up.”

“Communism? Most people have no idea what it is. I do not exaggerate. Look around this restaurant, ask any of these fine citizens. 'Excuse me, sir, I've been thinking of an idea, a bunch of working people owning the means of their own production. What do you make of that?' You know, he might be all for it.”