In these tales will be found a variety of love adventures, bitter as well as pleasing, and other exciting incidents, which took place in both ancient and modern times.

—Boccaccio, The Decameron

There should therefore be a time in adult life devoted to revisiting the most important books of our youth.

—Italo Calvino, “Why Read the Classics?”

17. Omit needless words.

—William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White, The Elements of Style