God doesn’t need to punish us. He just grants us a long enough life to punish ourselves.

No other continent has endured such an unspeakably bizarre combination of foreign thievery and foreign goodwill.

A choir of seedlings arching their necks out of rotted tree stumps, sucking life out of death. I am the forest's conscience, but remember, the forest eats itself and lives forever.

Like kids who only ever get socks for Christmas, but still believe with all their hearts in Santa.

Misunderstanding is my cornerstone. It's everyone's, come to think of it. Illusions mistaken for truth are the pavement under our feet.

Listen. Slide the weight from your shoulders and move forward. You are afraid you might forget, but you never will. You will forgive and remember.

I’ve seen how you can’t learn anything when you’re trying to look like the smartest person in the room.

Sugar, it's no parade but you'll get down the street one way or another, so you'd just as well throw your shoulders back and pick up the pace.

Every life is different because you passed this way and touched history.

If the Lord hasn't got a boyfriend lined up for me to marry, that's his business.

I attempted briefly to consecrate myself in the public library, believing every crack in my soul could be chinked with a book.

I willingly allow that money does not guarantee happiness

I mistrust all systematizers and avoid them. the will to a system is a lack of integrity.

Men often applaud an imitation and hiss the real thing.

You've been reading Gordan's book again, haven't you?" "It's a white-knuckle roller-coaster ride," she mumbled.

I have always been and will be an enemy of communism, but I love all people.

If you're watching a comedian on television and he's making a political point, I would say he's gotten too serious.

So all that is said of the wise man by Stoic or Oriental or modern essayist, describes to each reader his own idea, describes his unattained but attainable self.

There is no conflict between a better meal and a better world.

The heart is pure theater throbbing in its cage palpably as any nightingale.