“Dad followed his I’m-So-Disappointed speech with a lecture on career opportunities. “You’re going to study literature and get a job doing what?” he said. “Literaturizing?”

“Younger than Morini and Pelletier, Espinoza studied Spanish literature, not German literature, at least for the first two years of his university career, among other sad reasons because he dreamed of being a writer.”

“Despite his first, the study of English literature seemed in retrospect an absorbing parlor game, and reading books and having opinions about them, the desirable adjunct to a civilized existence. But it was not the core, whatever Dr. Leavis said in his lectures.”

“You’re a guardian angel now.”...."I’m your guardian angel,” he said.“I get my very own guardian angel? What, exactly, is your job description?”“Guard your body.” His smile tipped higher. “I take my job seriously, which means I’m going to need to get acquainted with the subject matter on a personal level.”

“I’m not interested in what you know,” said Herod. “I’m interested in watching you scream.” “Then you’re going to be disappointed.” “We’ll see,” said Herod with a smile.”

“Literature got me into this mess and literature is going to have to get me out of it.”