"The Howells Medal is a great honor, and, being gold, probably a good hedge
against inflation, too. But I don't want it. Please don't impose on me
something I don't want. It makes the Academy look arbitrary and me look
rude. . . . I know I should behave with more class, but there appears to be
only one way to say no, and that's no."
--Thomas Pynchon on being offered the Howells Medal