The challenges I have faced—among them material poverty, chronic illness, and being raised by a single mother—are not uncommon, but neither have they kept me from uncommon achievements.

I have come to believe that in order to thrive, a child must have at least one adult in her life who shows her unconditional love, respect, and confidence.

I was fifteen years old when I understood how it is that things break down: people can't imagine someone else's point of view.

Dressing badly has been a refuge much of my life, a way of compelling others to engage with my mind, not my physical presence. Page. 283

I would warn any minority student today against the temptations of self-segregation: take support and comfort from your own group as you can, but don’t hide within it.

In my experience when a friend unloaded about a boyfriend or spouse, the listener soaked up the complaint and remembered it long after the speaker had forgiven the offense.

[T]he more critical lesson I learned that day is still one too many kids never figure out: don't be shy about making a teacher of any willing party who knows what he or she is doing.

I couldn’t even tell if I had any sadness of my own, because I was so full of Abuelita’s sadness.

... a surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence. Page 115

I accepted what the Sisters taught in religion class: that God is loving, merciful, charitable, forgiving. That message didn't jibe with adults smacking kids.

Many of the gaps in my knowledge and understanding were simply limits of class and cultural background, not lack of aptitude or application as I feared. Page 135

The wise shall learn.

I watched the Indy 500, and I was thinking that if they left earlier theywouldn't have to go so fast.

I'm the type of person who wakes up at 12 AM just to write down a sudden idea that gets in my head. I have a never ending imagination.

And yet that's the best way to watch television actively: with your eyes closed.

In Europe, there is so much tradition, and everyone has established ideas as to what art should be and what it has always been.

A market economy cannot thrive absent the well-being of average people, even in a gilded age.

We have be-come irrevocably involved with, and responsible for, each other.

What I have done is learn to love and learn to be loved. That didn't come easy.

And I am standing in front of my mother, and my whole life I have wanted to make my mother proud. And now I'm going to make my daughter proud.

...his hoofbeats fall like rain, over and over again.