“On Atheism If people continue to think of atheism as a kind of religion, then I demand all the perks that real religions get. I want to build big empty buildings where like-minded people can gathe...”

“On Love - Love without trust is the love you give a dog. You may call that cute little mutt a member of the family but you don't let him in the kitchen when there's a roast on the table.”

“On Money - There are many ways to get rich quickly. All of them are risky. Some of them are dangerous. A few of them are downright fatal.”

“On Virtue When people want to describe the hideousness of a person or object, they may use the phrase ugly as sin. But the phrase should be ugly as virtue. Sin isnt ugly. Its highly attractive! Th...”

“On Critique Those who can, do. Those who cant, teach. Those who cant do or teach, criticize.”

“On Perseverance Persistence is admirable. Stubbornness is stupid. Just remember: the latter two even begin with the same three letters.”

“I am happy that I can aid those admirable men, both living and dead, who by their pens or their tongues have aided the great cause of human liberty and universal happiness.”

“Do not ask your childrento strive for extraordinary lives.Such striving may seem admirable,but it is the way of foolishness.Help them instead to find the wonderand the marvel of an ordinary life.Sh...”

“Am I as admirable as that ant?”

“You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you're working on another one. If you have...”

“Listen, Stephen King used to write in the washroom of his trailer after his kids went to sleep. Harlan Ellison wrote in the stall of a bathroom of his barracks during boot camp. Elmore Leonard got ...”

“Sacred soul has indomitable strength.”

“It is a disaster that wisdom forbids you to be satisfied with yourself and always sends you away dissatisfied and fearful, whereas stubbornness and foolhardiness fill their hosts with joy and assur...”

“Annie Taliaferro had that hammerhead look about her, like a breachy range cow, or a bunch-quitting steer.”