The Tension Between 'yes' And No', Between

To Choose A Writer For A Friend Is Like Palling Around With Your Cardiologist, Who Might Be Musing As You Talk To Him That You Are A Sinking Man. A Writer's Love For Another Writer Is Never Quite Free Of Malice. He May Enjoy Discussing Your Failures Even More Than You Do. He Probably Sees You As Tragic, Like His Characters - Or Unworthy Of Tragedy, Which Is Worse.

The More I Like A Book, The More Slowly I Read. This Spontaneous Talking Back To A Book Is One Of The Things That Makes Reading So Valuable.

We Don't Simply Read Books. We Become Them.

Either A Writer Doesn't Want To Talk About His Work, Or He Talks About It More Than You Want.

It Is One Of The Paradoxes Of American Literature That Our Writers Are Forever Looking Back With Love And Nostalgia At Lives They Couldn't Wait To Leave.