And older still, he might have divined the true reason: that the element of fire spoke to some deep mainspring of his father's being, as the element of steel or of powder spoke to other men, as the one weapon for the preservation of integrity.

I kept thinking that. I don't know why it is I can't seem to learn that a woman'll do anything.

Caddy put her arms around me, and her shining veil, and I couldn't smell trees anymore and I began to cry.

He's crossed all the oceans all around the world.

Thinking as he had thought before and would think again and as every other man has thought: how false the most profound book turns out to be when applied to life.

Some days in late August at home are like this, the air thin and eager like this, with something in it sad and nostalgic and familiar...

He was as calm as a god who has seen both life and death, and seen nothing of particular importance in either of them.

A writer must teach himself that the basest of all things is to be afraid.

Believe that man will not merely endure; he will prevail.

An artist is a creature driven by demons. He doesn't know why they choose him and he's usually too busy to wonder why.

Marriage is long enough to have plenty of room for time behind it.

Wanton stars galloped neighing like unicorns in blue meadows.

I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desireI give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all of your breath trying to conquer it.