“He knew he could always be smart later, if that turned out to be a better strategy. But once you admitted to being smart, there was no going back.”

“Be as smart as you can, but remember that it is always better to be wise than to be smart.”

“…if you’re going to be a smart ass you should start with being smart, otherwise, you’re really just an ass.”

“I've always wanted to be an expert on tadpoles; I've always fancied being a tadpole expert. It's a wonderful life if you become an experty tadpoleous, as they are known in the trade. You get invited out to all the smart parties and social gatherings. When smart people are making out their lists for the dinner parties, they say, 'Now, who can we have to make up the ten? A tadpole expert would be very nice. He could sit next to Lady Sonia.”

“Always give your reader credit for being smart enough to figure out what you want to say.”

“The rest of it spilled out in an incoherent jumble, but he nodded every once in a while. I liked that about him. He was so smart you didn't have to hold his hand and walk him through everything. He could fill in the blanks on his own.”