“Well, if nothing else, you are that rock. You can look at it and know that even though the elements can change your shape, you’re still you at the core.”

“But you know what? Peace is just an idea. There will never be peace on Earth, at least, not the kind of kumbaya-harmony people envision. There can be ceasefires and treaties, but we will never know true peace. That's the sad truth of the world.”

“I love you. Those three words have a deeply embedded history. They come with a whole lifetime of laughter and tears. So when I say them, I hope you feel the weight of my words because they bear everything I hope. They bear everything that I am.”

“I know this guy. All his life he loved this girl who was perfect in every way but just when he finally convinced her to be his and they’re deliriously happy, he went and messed everything up.”Henry to Elsie-book 5”

“If you want to master the art of the sentence, you must first accept a somewhat unpleasant truth--something a lot of writers would rather deny: The Reader is king. You are his servant. You serve the Reader information. You serve the Reader entertainment. You serve the Reader details of your company's recent merger or details of your experiences in drug rehab. In each case, as a writer you're working for the man (or the woman). Only by knowing your place can you do your job well.”

“I am not wrong: Wrong is not my nameMy name is my own my own my ownand I can’t tell you who the hell set things up like thisbut I can tell you that from now on my resistancemy simple and daily and nightly self-determinationmay very well cost you your life”

“As far as I can see, in this world, you’re a fool for not using whatever giftsyou’re given. It’s not as though you lied or cheated or stole to get Howard Marlowe as your father. That’swho he is; that’s who you are. You got dealt a bad card when you were bitten—so use one of the bettercards you have in your hand to make up for it.”