"When I'm asked for 'the secret of my success' (an absurd idea, that, but impossible to get away from), I sometimes say there are two: I stayed physically healthy, and I stayed married. It's a good ans…"

"I love the idea of a good story. I love the idea of a story that's going to stick with you."

"Optimism is a perfectly legitimate response to a problem."

"Humor is almost always a subversive element. It's a way to make people think about things they don't want to think about."

"The thing under my bed waiting to grab my ankle isn't real. I know that, and I also know that if I'm careful to keep my foot under the covers, it will never be able to grab my ankle."