“No one is easier to manipulate than a man who exaggerates his own influence.”

“Faced with a brass band that was positioned to drown out free speech, Russian activists reacted to the potential confrontation with lemons. With activists eating lemons or pretending to, involuntary saliva reaction of the band made it impossible for them to interrupt.”

“One changes, as a writer, fairly quickly; what you wrote six months or a year ago might not sound right anymore.”

“The stories she'd read of others' lives over these last few months had left her with a greater appreciation for the thread of her own life.”

“Have you heard," he said "that many of our people believe if you know five colloquial expressions in their tribal language, they must always provide you with nourishment and shelter? But-" He paused as though to make sure she was paying attention. "But if you know fewer than five, they owe you not even a sip of water."She nodded, understanding his point, but he pressed it."Learn those five phrases, Miss Sweeney," he said.”

“Honestly,” he says, “I judge writers on how they write queries. If you’re a good writer, you’re a good writer.” And if not, then not.”

“She had such control of tone, in her text messages, she was the Edith Wharton of text messaging.”