As we read the school reports on our children, we realize a sense of relief that can rise to delight that thank Heaven nobody is reporting in this fashion on us."

"To show a child what once delighted you, to find the child's delight added to your own -- this is happiness."

"If there is one thing left that I would like to do, it's to write something really beautiful. And I could do it, you know. I could still do it."

Much of writing might be described as mental pregnancy with successive difficult deliveries.

A novelist who writes nothing for 10 years finds his reputation rising. Because I keep on producing books they say there must be something wrong with this fellow.