The whole Twitter phenomenon is really indicative of what's happening in this country. And I say this in condemnation of myself as much as anyone else - we are growing into a nation that has no time desire or capacity for truth. All we can handle is 140 characters of knowledge.

Anyone who acquires more than the usual amount of knowledge concerning a subject is bound to leave it as his contribution to the knowledge of the world.

People are taken aback by a confident pretty girl who knows what she wants in life and isn't going to let anyone get in her way. And you know what it's all about? Jealousy.

For four years I listened to stories of intelligence failures and it wasn't due to incompetence of anyone in the system but that the system is so arcane.

The Queen's intelligence network is a hell of a lot better than anyone's in this palace. Bar none. She knows everything. I don't know how she does it. And she sees everything.

Oprah is so bright and her intelligence is so piercing that I don't think anyone who spends a few minutes with her isn't struck by that.

Talent and intelligence never yet inoculated anyone against the caprice of the fates.

Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence he is just using his memory.

Anyone who lives within his means suffers from a lack of imagination.

Richard Hugo taught me that anyone with a desire to write an ear for language and a bit of imagination could become a writer. He also in a way gave me permission to write about northern Montana.