“One day, I learned that a single look can change everything. And since then I have seen it countless times. I have grappled to understand it and failed. For instance, all it took was a look from another man for my wife to fall out of love with me. It baffles me that a simple alignment of eyes can cause so much devastation.”

“Have you ever hoped for something? And held out for it against all the odds? Until everything you did was ridiculous? ”

“It didn’t take tragedy or war to derail a man. It took only a memory.”

“His father looked wistful. 'And you don't feel anticlimatic?'What's that?'Somewhat the opposite of elated.'What's elated again?'Good feelings. That is to say, very good. You can feel, can't you? That's what I'm driving at. You don't ever wonder... where feeling went?”

“Beeches stood aghast in pools of shed leaves. Silver poplars looked like moonbeams.”

“Carefully, he reached around her with both arms so his fingers locked across her back.'You have to squeeze,' she whispered, 'or it's not a hug.”

“She had felt a collision with him and known that she had wanted this her whole life: to crash for just one moment into another person at such a velocity as to fuse with him.”