"In order to govern, the question is not to follow out a more or less valid theory but to build with whatever materials are at hand. The inevitable must be accepted and turned to advantage."

"There is no such thing as accident; it is fate misnamed."

"When small men attempt great enterprises, they always end by reducing them to the level of their mediocrity."

"War is the business of barbarians."

"Nature teaches us a valuable lesson: a single spark of imagination can ignite the world."

"I mean, first of all, let me say whichever superhero first came up with the idea of wearing a cape, he wasn't really onto anything good. The number of times I'm treading on that damn thing or I throw a punch and it ends up covering my whole head. It's really not practical."

"To read a writer is for me not merely to get an idea of what he says, but to go off with him and travel in his company."

"I have a different vision of leadership. A leadership is someone who brings people together."