“What do you think it is to be normal?'Why in the world would you want to be?' she says.I don't know. I guess that's the problem.'I don't think normal is that great.'But so many people choose it,' I reply.I don't think that's it at all. I think most everyone is normal and some of us, for whatever reason, choose to reject that and wear ruby red slippers or old black hats.'Well, why do we choose the hard road?”

“Men do monstrous things but if you call a man a monster you have absolved yourself of blame. You don't have to think that you might ever do these things. I don't think that's true”

“Here's what I think," I say and my voice is stronger and thoughts are coming, thoughts that trickle into my noise like whispers of truth. "I think maybe everybody falls," I say. "I think maybe we all do. And I don't think that's the asking." I pull on her arms gently to make sure she's listening."I think the asking is whether we get back up again.”

“There are things that a woman sings, and only a woman knows the full meaning. You may sing for men as well as for women, but only a woman knows your full meaning. I am not a feminista. I only think a woman should be true to who she believes herself to be. Or who she wants herself to be. Or who she imagines herself to be. I don't know what I mean, or whether I'm true myself to any of that. I don't think there are many of us who are true to our possibilities. ”

“I don't think the money people in Hollywood have ever thought I was normal, but I am dedicated to my work and that's what counts.”

“I just don't understand why some people think that every book you read ought to be "improving". No one goes to the cinema with the sole aim of having their mind expanded – entertainment is a fine raison d'etre for films so why not books?”

“Why's it gotta be Ôtani for me?I don't know because I have way too many reasons to choose from!He's the one for me, that's all. He just is.”