“Do you realize, that there’ll never be another January 17, 1944? Never again? . . . I’m the only one in this school who thinks about death. It’s incredible.”

“It’s not funny. Do you want the whole school to think I’m one of your sluts?”Travis frowned. “No one thinks that. And if they do, they better hope I don’t hear about it.”

“Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire.”

“If this were a war year, if this were 1918 or 1944, I wouldn't be the only girl whose dad was never coming home. Think of that: a whole generation of us, daughters and young wives, waiting for a car that will never roll into the driveway. Waiting for a door that will never open again.”

“I’m glad I’ve never went to one of these things before. It’s right that I’ve only brought you.”

“Unfortunately, most people never observe the natural cycle of birth and death. They do not realize that for one living thing to survive, another living thing must die.”