“Some six weeks agoI was allowed by the doctor to have white bread to eat instead of the coarseblack or brown bread of ordinary prison fare. It is a great delicacy. It willsound strange that dry bread could possibly be a delicacy to any one. To meit is so much so that at the close of each meal I carefully eat whatever crumbsmay be left on my tin plate, or have fallen on the rough towel that one usesas a cloth so as not to soil one’s table; and I do so not from hunger—I getnow quite sufficient food—but simply in order that nothing should bewasted of what is given to me. So one should look on love.”

“I eat stories instead of bread or rice. I usually eat books, but I love handwriting best. Love stories are sugary, so I like those even better. So you better write me a suuuuper yummy story.”

“I was so thin I could slice bread with my shoulderblades, only I seldom had bread”

“in the dark room she sits and in front of her is a plate and on the plate lies a black hunk of bread the size of a deck of cards. The bread has sawdust in it, and cardboard. She takes a knife and a fork, and cuts it slowly into four pieces. She eats one, chews it deliberately, pushes it with difficulty through her dry throat. eats another and another and finally the last one. She lingers especially on the last one. She knows after this piece is gone there will be no more food until tommorow morning. She wishes she could be strong enough to save half of the bread until dinner, but she isn't, she can't. When she looks up from her plate, her sister Dasha, is staring at her. Her plate is long empty. " I wish Alexander was coming back" says Dasha. " He might have food for us"I wish Alexander was coming back, thinks Tatiana.”

“My love affair with nature is so deep that I am not satisfied with being a mere onlooker, or nature tourist. I crave a more real and meaningful relationship. The spicy teas and tasty delicacies I prepare from wild ingredients are the bread and wine in which I have communion and fellowship with nature, and with the Author of that nature.”

“Talking about independence makes me wonder, Who is truly independent in this world? A farmer who grows food is dependent on a baker, a barber, a doctor, and so on. A doctor is dependent on other people of different professions in order to survive. I am dependent and will be dependent on certain caregivers and therapists. Those caregivers and therapists need people like me to earn their bread and butter and draw their salaries. So no one is doing any favors when choosing whatever his means of livelihood is.”