Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I don’t know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use.

Real seriousness in regard to writing is one of two absolute necessities. The other, unfortunately, is talent.

She was built with curves like the hull of a racing yacht, and you missed none of it with that wool jersey.

So far, about morals, I know only that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.

So many young men get their likes and dislikes from Mencken.

Somebody just back of you while you are fishing is as bad as someone looking over your shoulder while you write a letter to your girl.

The best ammunition against lies is the truth, there is no ammunition against gossip. It is like a fog and the clear wind blows it away and the sun burns it off.

The English talked with inflected phrases. One phrase to mean everything.

The first meal in Spain was always a shock with the hors d’oeuvres, an egg course, two meat courses, vegetables, salad, and dessert and fruit.

The first panacea for a mismanaged nation is inflation of the currency; the second is war. Both bring a temporary prosperity; both bring a permanent ruin. But both are - the refuge of political and economic opportunist.