Raymond Carver

"My circumstances of unrelieved responsibility and permanent distraction necessitated the short story form."

"That's all we have, finally, the words, and they had better be the right ones."

"Woke up this morning with a terrific urge to lie in bed all day and read."

"Happiness. It comes onunexpectedly. And goes beyond, really,any early morning talk about it."

"It ought to make us feel ashamed when we talk like we know what we're talking about when we talk about love."