I was immediately smitten with an attraction to this culture, not in the sense of high culture but of the basic way people behaved towards one another.

When I look someone in the eye, they are immediately smitten with me.

Manifestation without action is only a wish.

Being 'at the mercy of legislative majorities' is merely another way of describing the basic American plan: representative democracy.

I also had this mistaken dream, fantasy really - perhaps because I'm good at languages - of being able in both Italy and France to become someone else through my fluency in the language.

My dream, I remember, when I went to boarding school, was to have a study all my own, a little nook someplace where nobody could get at me - nobody, like the football coach.