Book jacket, Alfred A. Knopf

The source of the creative impulse is a mystery. Where do ideas come from? Any theory about inspiration must be offered with certain reservations. Ideas may come from anywhere, anything, any time, any place. For the most part, however, I believe that they spring from rather unromantic, sometimes unexpected, or even unsavory sources. The artist is a collector of things imaginary or real. He accumulates things with the same enthusiasm that a little boy stuffs his pockets. The scrap heap and the …