"“Thank you very much, sir,” said Beth with nothing resembling actual gratitude."

"She grew up with 'The Rhythm is Gonna Get You,' Well . . . It got her!"

"We shall be told: what can literature possibly do against the ruthless onslaught of open violence? But let …"

"Here's the other big secret of comedy: the audience writes most of it. You kind of give them what you think…"

"And what shall I say of the judgement of the Qazi, one's own wife becomes another's... Somewhere a certain …"

"If you're hell-bent on making your bank look and sound like a simpleton, a desk labelled Travel Money is st…"

"No, Mr. Bush, you just stay the course. It's not your fault that 30 percent of New Orleans lives in poverty…"