...these sleepless nights, when oddly enough my concentration was high, fueled perhaps by the effort to ignore the all-engrossing threat of bombs and rockets.

And even with the book closed, the voices do not stop--there are echoes and reverberations that seem to leap off the pages and mischievously leave the novel tingling in our ears.

The truth is that James, like many other great writers and artists, had chosen his own loyalties and nationality. His true country, his home, was that of the imagination.

My toe as a lethal weapon!

I went on and on, and as I continued, I became more righteous in my indignation. It was the sort of anger one gets high on, the kind one takes home to show off to family and friends.

She looked not so much composed as drawn inward. She was one of those people who are irrevocably, incurably honest and therefore both inflexible and vulnerable at the same time.

The Islamic Revolution, as it turned out, did more damage to Islam by using it as an instrument of oppression than any alien ever could have done.

[V]alue your dreams but . . . be wary of them also, . . . look for integrity in unusual places.

Many smiling faces hide a bleeding heart

I believe there are three keys to success. For me it is keeping my priorities in order: It's my faith and my family, and then the business.

The place of the arts in the classroom is essential in encouraging invention, ambition, and an understanding of the importance and pleasures of living an examined life.

I like melancholy. I like to pretend that I'm alone in the world and I'm just sort of abandoned.

Don't think that you can just rely on natural talent because there are going to be times when you get a little tired and that's when your skills come into play to help you make look easy.

It's bad if we are controlled, but if we're not, it can be even worse.

It's a tough life if you don't weaken.

I don't care if people think I'm a junkie or a loser.

I believe in marriage. I believe marriage is a really important institution; it's one of the most important institutions we have.

I think actors' careers have highs and lows, and ups and downs. It just really all depends.