The Shelf Life Of The

I Knew Nothing About Farce Until I Read Puce A L'oreille, And Had No Idea What A Deadly Serious Business It Is.

Writing About The Indignities Of Old Age: The Daunting Stairway To The Restaurant Restroom, The Benefits Of A Wheelchair In Airports And Its Disadvantages At Cocktail Parties, Giving The User What He Described As A Child's-eye View Of The Party And A Crotch-level View Of The Guests. Dying Is A Matter Of Slapstick And Pratfalls. The Aging Process Is Not Gradual Or Gentle. It Rushes Up, Pushes You Over And Runs Off Laughing. No One Should Grow Old Who Isn't Ready To Appear Ridiculous.

I Had Inherited What My Father Called The Art Of The Advocate, Or The Irritating Habit Of Looking For The Flaw In Any Argument.

The Shelf Life Of The Modern Hardback Writer Is Somewhere Between The Milk And The Yoghurt.

What Obsesses A Writer Starting Out On A Lifetime's Work Is The Panic-stricken Search For A Voice Of His Own.