Of all Americans who have appeared on the nation's postage stamps, Ayn Rand is probably the only one to have thought that the United States government has no business delivering mail. Thomas Mallon americanappearayn Change image and share on social
The cosmic game changed forever in 1992. Before then, logic told us that there had to be other planets besides the nine (if you still count poor Pluto) in our solar system, but until that year, when two astronomers detected faint, telltale radio signals in the constellation Virgo, we had no hard evidence of their existence. Thomas Mallon astronomerchangeconstellation share on social
I think that the worst form of naivete can be extreme cynicism. If you think that nobody comes to Washington to do any good whatsoever, that is almost as bad as being starry-eyed and thinking that they are all here to advance democracy. Thomas Mallon advancebadcynicism share on social
Bobby Kennedy's conduct toward Lyndon Johnson was childish and despicable. As the years went on, he displayed nasty, self-pitying, and messianic qualities that would have made him a dangerously authoritarian president. Thomas Mallon authoritarianbobbychildish share on social
One's politics are part of one even when one is writing. But if I want to say anything about the state of civil society, I will write an essay. The responsibilities you feel as a novelist are literary ones, I think, not civic ones. And I think politicians are interesting to write about. Thomas Mallon civiccivilessay share on social
I was raised - and still consider myself to be - Catholic, though I'm non-practicing and haven't fulfilled my Easter duty since sometime during the Nixon years. I'm assailed by all kinds of stimulating doubts, but I do believe in God. Thomas Mallon assailcatholicdoubt share on social
My house in Connecticut is very quiet, and when I'm trying to concentrate, I don't even allow the cat inside my second-floor study. Thomas Mallon catconcentrateconnecticut Change image and share on social
Cell phones, alas, have pretty much ruined train travel, which I used to love. I could read or even sketch notes for what I was working on. Thomas Mallon alacelllove Change image and share on social
The romantic appeal of solar sailing has ensured that its advocates consistently come from the worlds of both science fiction and science fact. Thomas Mallon advocateappealconsistently Change image and share on social
I've always got a novel under way, but if I try to work on it every day, exclusively, I falter. So I always keep more than one thing going. Thomas Mallon dayexclusivelyfalter Change image and share on social