“According to NYPD figures, a contract killing could be had in Brooklyn for a mere $500. More often than not, though, people in New York were killed for free.”

“By '95 - in New York, alone - more Americans had died of AIDS than were killed in Vietnam.”

“Time, the best of all doctors, though it kills you in the end, had done more than therapy could.”

“New York is Babylon : Brooklyn is the truly Holy City.New York is the city of envy, office work, and hustle;Brooklyn is the region of homes and happiness….There is no hope for New Yorkers, for their glory inTheir skyscraping sins; but in Brooklyn there is the wisdom of the lowly.”

“I was just offered a contract on your life, for enough money to make it worth my while." It was my turn to be quiet.Did you take it?"Would I be calling you if I had?"Maybe," I said. He laughed.True, but I'm not going to take it."Why not?"Friendship."Try again," I said.I figure I'll get to kill more people guarding you. If I take the contract, I only get to kill you."Comforting...”

“Serene was a word you could put to Brooklyn New York. Especially in the summer of 1912. Somber as a word was better. But it did not apply to Williamsburg Brooklyn. Prairie was lovely and Shenandoah had a beautiful sound but you couldn't fit those words into Brooklyn. Serene was the only word for it especially on a Saturday afternoon in summer.”