What does democracy come down to? The persuasive power of slogans invented by wily self-seeking politicians.

Nothing in the world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it.

We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person.

To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.

It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.

If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too.

The secret to life is meaningless unless you discover it yourself.

The only important thing in a book is the meaning that it has for you.

It is dangerous to let the public behind the scenes. They are easily disillusioned and then they are angry with you, for it was the illusion they loved.

The common idea that success spoils people by making them vain, egotistic and self-complacent is erroneous; on the contrary it makes them, for the most part, humble, tolerant and kind.

Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young.

Take bold decisions. Don’t let doubts fumble decisions in your mind and make you confused over them. Pursue what you are convinced to do

I have lived for a long time inside a series of coincidences that most people would find implausible in a novel.

I think for a classical musician the goal is the same as an electronic musician. A very good professional classical musician must not think about technique.

If, it was natural to reason, God punishes men with eternal torment, it is surely lawful for men to use doses of it in a good cause.

Philosophy may in no way interfere with the actual use of language; it can in the end only describe it.

A dewdrop is a perfect integrity that has no filial memory of its parentage.

Here are the choices I dont want to make: between paying additional fuel costs and flying and steaming less; between paying additional fuel costs and building fewer ships and planes.

No one really understands quantum mechanics.

For now, I'm just going to keep doing the work and hope I don't get fired. If people want to put me up on their walls, I'll love it.

In Bengal, Hindus are known to crack jokes at the expense of their gods and goddesses and that's what I did.