“They were told what they wanted and they believed it. They can only keep their dream alive by being with others like themselves who will mirror their illusions.”

“He really wanted to remain angry, but somehow he had come to believe that women were wondrous, mysterious, and magical creatures who should be treated not only with respect but with reverence and even awe. Perhaps it was something that his mother used to say to him. She would say, “Lucien, women are wondrous, mysterious, and magical creatures, who should be treated not only with respect but with reverence, perhaps even awe. Now go sweep the steps.”

“Only by being prepared for your death can you ever truly live. ”

“Mr. Asher, you can resist who you are for only so long. Finally, you just decide to go with fate.”

“'Paint only what you see,' his hero Millet had admonished.'Imagination is a burden to a painter,' Auguste Renoir had told him. 'Painters are craftsmen, not storytellers. Paint what you see.'Ah, but what they hadn't said, hadn't warned him about, was how much you could see.”

“Routine feeds the illusion of safety...”

“Why understand when you can believe?”