There will be birthdays in the next twelve months; books keep well; they're easy to wrap: buy those books now. Buy replacements for any books looking raggedy on your shelves.

Next quotes

• Roy Blount, Jr.:

  People may think of Southern humor in terms of missing teeth and outhouse accidents, but the best o

• Roy Blount, Jr.:

  Think about scary movies: There's a fine line between horror and humor.

• Steve Swallow:

  Occasionally, when I run into a great bass backstage at a festival I'll play a few notes on the low

• Steve Swallow:

  I found it liberating of necessity to devise my own style and my own tactics and to look for a voic

• Steve Swallow:

  I don't meditate before I play or compose, but I see playing and composing as meditative acts.

• Richard Rorty:

  Always strive to excel, but only on weekends.

• Richard Rorty:

  The difference between people and ideas is... only superficial.

• Richard Rorty:

  The usual picture of Socrates is of an ugly little plebeian who inspired a handsome young nobleman

• Richard Rorty:

  The world does not speak. Only we do. The world can, once we have programmed ourselves with a langu

• Richard Rorty:

  There is nothing deep down inside us except what we have put there ourselves.