I'm fascinated with actors, and I've never quite understood the process.

I tend to foster drama via bleakness. If I want the reader to feel sympathy for a character, I cleave the character in half, on his birthday. And then it starts raining. And he's made of sugar.

What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness.

What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded . . . sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly.

Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial.

Developing our sympathetic compassion is not only possible but the only reason for us to be here on earth.

According to me, your life is going to be a gradual process of becoming kinder and more loving. Hurry up. Speed it along. Start right now.

It's a big world, and I really like it.

Character is that sum total of moments we can't explain.

The generalizing writer is like the passionate drunk, stumbling into your house mumbling: I know I'm not being clear, exactly, but don't you kind of feel what I'm feeling?

Kindness, it turns out, is hard - it starts out all rainbows and puppy dogs, and expands to include . . . well, EVERYTHING.

Some people walk into our life and make us fall in love with our self.

I’ve come to accept the voices in my head… I just wish they didn’t spit when they talk.

Without desire how is it possible to make a story?

Not so the scientist. The very essence of his life is the service of truth.

Typically, your corporate e-mail account is not, today, that spam-targeted. It's more the free e-mail accounts that are spam-targeted.

Be who you are and don't allow anyone to affect the confidence you have in your individuality.

I was not really as good as I should have been.

I was ranked the second most conservative member in the House.

Clothes are part of the character. They can't but help inform who you are.

So, ah, I'm not sure if you know this, but you're not wearing a shirt." "Distracting, isn't it?