“Whatever helps you not to use. (If pushing a peanut up a hill with your nose keeps you sober, well, then, just push a peanut up a hill with your nose.)”

“Achieving repute and notoriety is at first like the seemingly hopeless effort of pushing a large snowball up a hill, but eventually you will push it over the apex and watch it grow rapidly as it rolls effortlessly away.”

“America?" said Gamesh, smiling. "Roland, what's American to you? Or me, or those tens of thousands up in the the stands? It's just a word they use to keep your nose to the grindstone and your toes to the line. America is the opiate of the people.”

“always hold your head up but be careful to keep your nose at a friendly level.”

“My advice to you, Joe, is to pick up a damn shovel, clean up whatever shit you can and learn how to shut your fucking mouth while you still have all of your teeth and can breathe through your nose.”

“He pushed his glasses up on his nose and gave me a sidelong look, the one that meant he was so sure you were wrong that he could just wait and let you find out for yourself the hard way.”