“This sense of 'place' -- that there was nothing to be wanted from material things, nothing to be saved.”

“For the first six months, all whe wanted was honest labor, finely crafted novels, and surf.”

“It was all balance. But then, she already knew that from surfing.”

“The two girls grew up at the edge of the ocean and knew it was paradise, and better than Eden, which was only a garden.”

“You have to give to the world the thing that you want the most, in order to fix the broken parts inside you.”

“Cherish your solitude. Take trains by yourself to places you have never been. Sleep out alone under the stars. Learn how to drive a stick shift. Go so far away that you stop being afraid of not coming back. Say no when you don’t want to do something. Say yes if your instincts are strong, even if everyone around you disagrees. Decide whether you want to be liked or admired. Decide if fitting in is more important than finding out what you’re doing here. Believe in kissing.”

“The word legend comes from the Latin “legere,” which means “to read.” The word fiction comes from the Latin “fingere,” which means “to form.” From fingere we also get the word fingers. We form things with our fingers. The word history comes from the Greek “istor,” which means “to learn” or “to know.” I believe in original etymology. I believe that fiction is formed truth. I believe that history is a way of knowing all of this. I believe that legend is how we read between the lines.”