I guess the man’s a genius, but what a dirty mind he has, hasn’t he?
—Nora, James Joyce’s wife, after reading the infamous Molly Bloom passages in Ulysses.

It has nothing to do with terrorism. It has nothing to do with oil. It has everything to do with that there’s 1.2 million Muslims that have been deceived by the false God Allah, and that the God of heaven, Jehovah, is now in the process of doing war if you will against that spirit to break the power of deception so those people can be exposed to the gospel.
— "Prophet" Glenn Miller explaining the Iraq invasion on the 700 Club, Feb. 25, 2005.

In a democracy it is necessary that people should learn to endure having their sentiments outraged
—Bertrand Russell.

The only thing that's interesting about art present or past is quality. The whole mystery of art is why good things are good.
—Lucian Freud

Men love war because it allows them to look serious. Because it is the one thing that stops women laughing at them.
—John Fowles, The Magus.

To the hard of hearing you shout, and for the almost-blind you draw large and startling figures.
—Flannery O’Conner.

Fine. This is the first time this afternoon I’ll know what you have in your hand.
—George S. Kaufman, when an inept bridge partner left the table for the restroom.

Americans are highly moralistic, and any kind of moral ambiguity irritates them. As a result they completely fail to understand themselves, which is one of their strengths.
—J.G. Ballard.