“Thanks anyway,' Vanderdecker repeated, and wandered off to have a stare at the sea. It was his equivalent to beating his head repeatedly against a wall.”

“After all, what else is scientific enquiry of any sort other than a controlled version of banging one's head against the universe until something gives?”

“In his dream, George Stetchkin was in the dock at the Central Criminal Court, accused of the murder of nine million innocent brain cells. The usher was showing the jury the alleged murder weapon, an empty Bison Brand wodka bottle. Then the judge glared at him over the rims of his spectacles and sentenced him to the worst hangover of his life.”

“Among the gods, there is a dispute as to which one of them originally thought of Christianity; or, as they call it, the Great Leg Pull. Apollo has the best claim, but a sizeable minority support Pluto, ex-God of the Dead, on the grounds that he has a really sick sense of humour.How would it be, suggested the unidentified god, if first we tell them all to love their neighbour, pack in the killing and thieving, and be nice to each other. Then we let them start burning heretics.”

“Mostly I sit at home in the evenings watching the box and hoping that one day I'll evolve into plankton.”

“Human beings can get used to virtually anything, given plenty of time and no choice in the matter whatsoever.”

“The conscientious arsonist doesn't just set the building on fire; first he fills the fire extinguishers with petrol.”