“Mathematics is the second most exciting thing. ”

“The most exciting thing either of us does is nap.”

“The most boring thing in the entire world is nudity. The second most boring thing is honesty.”

“Most people have some appreciation of mathematics, just as most people can enjoy a pleasant tune; and there are probably more people really interested in mathematics than in music. Appearances suggest the contrary, but there are easy explanations. Music can be used to stimulate mass emotion, while mathematics cannot; and musical incapacity is recognized (no doubt rightly) as mildly discreditable, whereas most people are so frightened of the name of mathematics that they are ready, quite unaffectedly, to exaggerate their own mathematical stupidity”

“Recurrent memories of Henry Schoonmaker were the most exciting thing to happen in her conscious mind these days.”

“‎"There are two ways to do great mathematics. The first is to be smarter than everybody else. The second way is to be stupider than everybody else -- but persistent.”