“i was becoming a sack of vomit and fecal matter. i suppose, on reflection, that that is what i had always been, but nature had not formerly imposed this aspect of the human condition quite so vividly upon me.”

“to me it sounded more like a pack of thieves making a deal, but then to me no human activity is so reliably boring and shabby as politics.”

“i didn't see anyone!" she said. "who were you shooting at? what happened?"there was a long silence. the men looked at each other. then clellan spoke, a little tentatively."he's very fast.”

“For whence had that former sorrow so easily penetrated to the quick, but that I had poured out my soul upon the dust, in loving one who must die?”

“To forget a friend is sad. Not every one has had a friend. And if I forget him, I may become like the grown−ups who are nolonger interested in anything but figures..”

“When human beings are involved, statistics become a frightful game that I cannot play. People have said to me: 'But what are a few dozen casualties compared to the whole population?' 'Does it matter that a few churches have burned down since the city has survived?' These measurements I reject. The kingdom of man is not to be surveyed in this way.”

“I have long dreaded the thought of getting to the end of life and regretting that I allowed my own timidity or other people's expectations to determine the course of my life. I had decided at a much younger age that several of my beliefs should determine the course of my life...I...believe that Waengongi, the Creator, has an epic script into which my minute presence has been written. ”