A tough little bitch

"A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet."

"Friendship is a pretty full-time occupation if you really are friendly with somebody. You can't have too many friends because then you're just not really friends."

"Past certain ages or certain wisdoms it is very difficult to look with wonder; it is best done when one is a child; after that, and if you are lucky, you will find a bridge of childhood and walk across it."

"Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade, just as painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, fine. If not, learn them. Then rearrange the rules to suit yourself."

"If the notion is good enough, if it truly belongs to you, then you can't forget it - it will haunt you till it's written."

"Disco is the best floor show in town. It's very democratic, boys with boys, girls with girls, girls with boys, blacks and whites, capitalists and Marxists, Chinese and everything else, all in one big mix."

"Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act."

"All literature is gossip."

[On one of his portraits:] "I look like a tough little bitch in that one."

The magnificent Truman Capote, who was born ninety years ago today (born Truman Streckfus Persons, 30th September 1924 – 25th August 1984)