“Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably.”

“Writing is a fine thing, because it combines the two pleasures of talking to yourself and talking to a crowd.”

“To admire is, to me, questionless, the highest pleasure of life.”

“Pleasure is never as pleasant as we expected it to be and pain is always more painful. The pain in the world always outweighs the pleasure. If you don't believe it, compare the respective feelings of two animals, one of which is eating the other.”

“Warning: Do not read this story right after eating. In fact, don't read it right before eating either. In fact, just to be safe, don't read this story if you're ever planning to eat again.”

“The books that everybody admires are those that nobody reads.”

“Read like a wolf eats.”

“Sometimes I wish I were a cannibal – less for the pleasure of eating someone than for the pleasure of vomiting him.”

“There's always time to read. Don't trust a writer who doesn't read. It's like eating food prepared by a cook who doesn't eat.”

“One reads for pleasure… it is not a public duty.”