Irwin Shaw

Writing is like a contact sport, like football. You can get hurt, but you enjoy it.

There are too many books I haven't read, too many places I haven't seen, too many memories I haven't kept long enough.

A writer has to live with a sense of honor.

If I make a move, like raise my eyebrows, some critic says I'm doing Nicholson. What am I supposed to do, cut off my eyebrows?

Australians and the British are very similar: If you try and stand out in any way, and you try to reach for success, someone is gonna be there to cut you down.

I wanted to be a teacher, but I was a lousy student, one of the slowest readers. It was a tremendous struggle. But I'm lucky I had some teachers who saw something in me.