Carly Simon

As a child I used to read Gone with the Wind over and over again. I wanted to be Scarlett O’Hara. I never wanted to believe that it was possible that there could be infidelity. I never wanted to be believe that it was even possible for a man to look another way, even for a moment. My bubble of monogamy was pierced in a harsh way.

One of the things about creativity is you can be in denial about these things. When I found out I had cancer, there were four hours in which I was pounding my head on the marble kitchen top saying, “I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it.” But then I felt as if this little army in uniform was flooding me. They had come to help me fight it. I felt really strong about it after that. It was one of the strongest periods of my life.

There ain’t no freedom when you’ve got a worrying mind.

There was a lot of charm in just living in a big family compound of a house. My two uncles, who were into jazz, lived in the basement, and one of them, Uncle Peter, taught me my first songs on the ukulele.

Seeing things that are bothering you written down takes away their power. It gives you a perspective. Helps you contain them.

I think I had the best of James [Taylor]. I mean, I was so in love with him. Not with blinders on – I was in love with him because he is a remarkable man, and he gave me a tremendous amount.

Four women have helped me: mother, sister, mother-in-law and wife.

Never trust anyone who wants what you’ve got. Friend or no, envy is an overwhelming emotion.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

Man minus the Machine is a slave; Man plus the Machine is a freeman.

I don’t necessarily agree with everything I say.

If you don’t know what it is you want – and I mean specifically – then you won’t even know when you have it.

The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table.

Civilization is a stream with banks. The stream is sometimes filled with blood from people killing, stealing, shouting and doing the things historians usually record, while on the banks, unnoticed, people build homes, make love, raise children, sing songs, write poetry and even whittle statues. The story of civilization is what happened on the banks.

Trees are among the most useful things grown.

Throughout this life, you can never be certain of living long enough to take another breath.

Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.

The love we were promised in fairy tales was never something for us to find. It has always been something for us to create.

What’s wrong with being a boring kind of guy?