I began the way nearly everybody I ever heard of - I began writing poetry. And I find that to be quite usual with writers, their trying their hand at poetry.

Before the war it was always the United States *are*, after the war it was the United States is... it made us an is.

The Civil War defined us as what we are and it opened us to being what we became, good and bad things... It was the crossroads of our being, and it was a hell of a crossroads.

If you want to study writing, read Dickens. That's how to study writing, or Faulkner, or D.H. Lawrence, or John Keats. They can teach you everything you need to know about writing.

People make a grievous error thinking that a list of facts is the truth. Facts are just the bare bones out of which truth is made.

When you grow up in a totally segregated society, where everybody around you believes that segregation is proper, you have a hard time. You can't believe how much it's a part of your thinking.

A university is just a group of buildings gathered around a library.

As a Southerner I would have to say that one of the main importances of the War is that Southerners have a sense of defeat which none of the rest of the country has.

I think making mistakes and discovering them for yourself is of great value, but to have someone else to point out your mistakes is a shortcut of the process.

I abhor the idea of a perfect world. It would bore me to tears.

Longevity conquers scandal every time.

The secret strength of a nation is found in the faith that abides in the hearts and homes of the country.

C programmers never die. They are just cast into void.

Acting is a bit of a heart and soul exercise with me. It's kind of all I've got.

I mean, there was a serious international effort to say to Saddam Hussein: 'You're a threat'. And the 9/11 attacks accentuated that threat, as far as I'm concerned.

I have proven to the world that I am articulate, I am very intelligent, I'm well exposed.

My generation had the best years. We missed the Second World War and caught the outburst of rock 'n' roll.

Romcoms are challenging, but I'm hungry for drama.

Life: I'll never understand it.

We find what we expect to find. We do not see the world as it is but as we are.

There are three sides to every story: my side, your side, and the truth. And no one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently.