If you're gonna be stupid you gotta be tough.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

The fool of nature stood with stupid eyes And gaping mouth, that testified surprise.

There are only two truly infinite things, the universe and stupidity. And I am unsure about the universe.

Nobody wants to read about the honest lawyer down the street who does real estate loans and wills. If you want to sell books, you have to write about the interesting lawyers - the guys who steal all the money and take off. That's the fun stuff.

It may seem odd that I'm here today - the unapologetic writer of popular fiction - on Faulkner's front porch about to announce the finalists for the National Book Award, which are our most prestigious literary awards.