Quotes from Calvin Trillin


Sorted by Popularity


When it comes to rapacious 19th century capitalism, my family's hands are clean.


There's always a source for humor.


I've written three books you could think of as memoirs.


I don't think I've ever read a food piece or a food book.


I don't mind being interviewed on television or radio.


Canadians are very well behaved, they don't throw their food.


Being on a book tour is a lot easier than reporting.


I don't cook. I don't know anything about food. I've never reviewed a restaurant.


With humor, it's so subjective that trying to think of what the ideal reader would think would drive you crazy.


The food in such places is so tasteless because the members associate spices and garlic with just the sort of people they're trying to keep out.


People, not just reporters, are more interested in politics than in government, so the actual issues wouldn't be something that interested them.


I've always thought that parallel parking was my main talent.


I do remember in high school I wanted to be a disc jockey.


When it comes to Chinese food I have always operated under the policy that the less known about the preparation the better. A wise diner who is invited to visit the kitchen replies by saying, as politely as possible, that he has a pressing engagement elsewhere.


When you're writing, you are robbed of your delivery.


What campaigns are for is weeding out the people who, for one way or another, weren't making it for the long haul.


We all know funny people who can't get it down on the page - even funny writers who can't get it down on the page.


The shelf life of the average trade book is somewhere between milk and yogurt.


If it's inappropriate to write about, if there's nothing funny about it, then it's not funny.


I never did very well in math - I could never seem to persuade the teacher that I hadn't meant my answers literally.