“Being a failure at living your own life as best as you can is better than being a success living the life somebody else says you should live.”

“Dying ain't important. Everyone does that. What's important is how well you do your living.”

“It ain't how long you know somebody that means anything. It's what that person mean to you in your heart.”

“I write because the lives of all of us are stories. If enough of those stories are told, then perhaps we will begin to see that our lives are the same story. The differences are merely in the details.”

“The young accept the extraordinary as normal because they do not compare their lives with those of others when everyone is like them.”

“If I canot know your name, may I light a lamp so I can see your face?'If you sould ever see my face, you will lose me forever.' Why?' Psyche wanted to know. 'Are you ugly? Are you afraid I won't love you if I see your face?'Perhaps I am afraid that if you see my face, it will be THAT that you will love and not me.' I understand, believe me. I know what that feels like.”

“Stagolee was, undoubtedly and without question, the baddest nigger that ever lived. Stagolee was so bad that the flies wouldn't even fly around his head in the summertime, and snow wouldn't fall on his house in the winter. He was bad, jim. ”