Europeans are much more serious than we are in America because they think that a good place to discuss intellectual matters is a beer party.

He who is not just is severe, he who is not wise is sad.

I’m married to an Italian woman, and I used to love cooking Italian at home, because it’s one-pot cooking. But my wife does not approve of my Italian cooking.

If one could only teach the English how to talk, and the Irish how to listen, society here would be quite civilized.

Hostesses who entertain much must make up their parties as ministers make up their cabinets, on grounds other than personal liking.

Do creative, social, and civic attitudes change depending on where we live? Yes, I think so.

If you’re serious, you really understand that it’s important that you laugh as much as possible and admit that you’re the funniest person you ever met. You have to laugh. Admit that you’re funny. Otherwise, you die in solemnity.

Men are convinced of your arguments, your sincerity, and the seriousness of your efforts only by your death.

Nothing is worth doing unless the consequences may be serious.

You can be a little ungrammatical if you come from the right part of the country.

Americans are rising to the tasks of history, and they expect the same of us.

I was a little girl in World War II and I’m used to being freed by Americans.

Here in England, everyone’s a pop star, innit, whereas in America they believe in the term artist.

Americans love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle.

This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny.

When good Americans die they go to Paris.

A large majority of Americans believe that the U.N., not the U.S., should take the lead in working with Iraqis to transfer authentic sovereignty as well as in economic reconstruction and maintaining civic order.

I don’t know why they gave me a knighthood – though it’s very nice of them – but I only ever use the title in the U.S. The Americans insist on it and get offended if I don’t.

When it comes to the qualifications that we should demand of our president, to start with, we need someone who will take the job seriously.

I think you could ask 10 English people the same question about class and get a very different answer.

Most women put off entertaining until the kids are grown.

Humor is the first of the gifts to perish in a foreign tongue.

I think Canadians are more interested in international events than Americans because it is such a small country, so politics affect it more.

The truth is that the vast majority of Americans are good, fair, and just, and they want their country to reflect those ideals.

No intelligent black man or black woman in his or her right black mind wants white boys and white girls coming to their homes to marry their black sons and daughters.

We don’t believe in planners and deciders making the decisions on behalf of Americans.

In fact, the best thing we could do on taxes for all Americans is to simplify the individual tax code. This will be a tough job, but members of both parties have expressed an interest in doing this, and I am prepared to join them.

Both times I was in India, I could not get people to listen to each other. I had to literally tell people to listen to each other and tell them that they can’t get creative and find alternate solutions if they don’t listen to each other. There’s a lot of arguing and justifying.

The English are predisposed to pride, the French to vanity.

I think it’s an Irish thing. We don’t really care. We say it as we mean it, and you have to deal with it. The truth is the truth.

Given a fair shot, given a fair chance, Americans have never, ever, ever, ever let their country down. Never. Never. Ordinary people like us. Who do extraordinary things.

Even though I’m known as a pop musician, I have a seriousness about what I do.

At seventy-seven it is time to be in earnest.

I think when the president of the United States calls for military action, he should do it for a united people, especially when the methods have been so cruel, so explicitly directed at Americans.

September 11 shocked many Americans into an awareness that they had better pay much closer attention to what the U.S. government does in the world and how it is perceived. Many issues have been opened for discussion that were not on the agenda before. That’s all to the good.

Americans play to win at all times. I wouldn’t give a hoot and hell for a man who lost and laughed. That’s why Americans have never lost nor ever lose a war.

It’s very strange to go to cities like London and New York. People walk so quickly, they seem to be in a hurry all the time. And you don’t say ‚Hi‘ to everyone you meet, and you don’t smile to everyone you meet, because there’s just so many. Which is also very strange.

I don’t go to parties in general.

Americans are far more remarkable than we give ourselves credit for. We’ve been so busy damning ourselves for years. We’ve done it all, and yet we don’t take credit for it.

Two nations between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy; who are as ignorant of each other’s habits, thoughts, and feelings, as if they were dwellers in different zones, or inhabitants of different planets. The rich and the poor.

Spaniards were condemned for appeasing terrorism by voting for withdrawing troops from Iraq in the absence of U.N. authorization – that is, for taking a stand rather like that of 70 percent of Americans, who called for the U.N. to take the leading role in Iraq.

I often look ridiculous in Japan. There’s really no way to eat in Japan, particularly kaiseki in a traditional ryokan, without offending the Japanese horribly. Every gesture, every movement is just so atrociously wrong, and the more I try, the more hilarious it is.

Sometimes I’ve been to a party where no one spoke to me for a whole evening. The men, frightened by their wives or sweeties, would give me a wide berth. And the ladies would gang up in a corner to discuss my dangerous character.

If anything, a lot of electronic music is music that no one listens to at home, hardly. It’s really only to be heard when everyone’s out enjoying it.

The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.

The Welsh people have a talent for acting that one does not find in the English. The English lack heart.

My message to the Americans is the same as to everyone – that is to unite behind the science and to act on the science.

A president can ask for reconciliation in the racial conflict that divides Americans. But reconciliation comes only from the hearts of people.

The prescription for endless war poses a far greater danger to Americans than perceived enemies do, for reasons the terrorist organisations understand very well.

I was in Europe and it was at this stage that I fell in love with Americans in uniform. And I continue to have that love affair.

I know that there are millions of Americans who are content with their health care coverage – they like their plan and, most importantly, they value their relationship with their doctor.

The Americans at heart are a pure and noble people; things to them are in black and white. It’s either ‚rawk‘ or it’s not. We Brits putter around in the grey area.

Everyone carries his own inch rule of taste, and amuses himself by applying it, triumphantly, wherever he travels.

There are only two occasions when Americans respect privacy, especially in Presidents. Those are prayer and fishing.

We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English.

I’m very, very serious – I’m serious enough not to take myself too seriously. That means I can be completely wedded to the moment. But when I leave that moment, I want to be completely wedded to the next moment.

To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.

I don’t concern myself with award. I’d been to the party enough times to know it really didn’t matter.

We sold ‚Seinfeld‘ all over the world but it was a very specific kind of show. In some countries it went down really well, in others they hated it.

I’m always surprised when people respond positively to what I am saying, given its seriousnessness and strange nature.

Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow.