“Some people just have more of a chance than others, and some just have to take the chances that they have. I know a lot of people who were more unfortunate than Jerry Bines, who turned out much better-”

“I was nothing more than a thug with Tolstoy in my pocket.”

“Now the end is going to come - in one fashion or another", Bines said, softly, and again he turned to Ralphie and smiled. "We all know, the end will come. You either face your hunters or run from them.”

“The world will always have people who have more than they'll ever need and people who need more than they'll ever have.”

“There is no worse flaw in man's character than that of wanting to belong.”

“Those who scorn you taunt only themselves -- I knew this without reading one word; because in reading one is reminded of the truth man is given at birth -- by man I mean man and woman.”

“What should I get from books?” Alcide asked in French.That you are not alone — even along this broken tractor road. You need to know nothing else,” my father answered in French.”