You see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that's the way I want to live.

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.

The book to read is not the one which thinks for you, but the one which makes you think. No book in the world equals the Bible for that.

The things that happen to people we never really know. What happens in houses behind closed doors, what secrets -

People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.

Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.

He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.

Things are always better in the morning.

It's not necessary to tell all you know.

Writing is a process of self-discipline you must learn before you can call yourself a writer. There are people who write, but I think they're quite different from people who must write.

...but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself.

Books make the soul float.

Going away won't change anything if you're running from yourself.

I realize parenting is hard and boring at times and a four-hour break would be super, but this is the job we signed up for. Some days it sucks, but most days it's great.

My house had suddenly turned into a hospital ward.

That's the thing about being a victim; you start to think it'll happen to you on a regular basis. It's living with the reality of your own vulnerability, and it sucks.

There are just so many stories that are buried on family trees.

You do not know what wars are going on down there where the spirit meets the bone.

To insist, even with Olympian assurance, that life appeared quite by chance and evolved in this fashion, is an unfounded supposition which I believe to be wrong and not in accordance with the facts.

Me being in love with a girl and wanting her to be with me, doing what I need to do to make her stay with me; it affects no one, yet it’s terrifying to people and they think you’re a monster.

Everybody is not completely traumatised by their life.