“And don’t miss Frank Otto, the world’s most tattooed man! Held hostage in the darkest jungles of Borneo and tried for a crime he didn’t commit, and his punishment? Well, folks, his punishment is written all over his body in permanent ink!”

“Then she turns to Midnight and perches delicately on his lowered back. He rises, arches his neck, and carries Marlena from the big top. The rest of the horses follow, once again grouped by color, crowding each other to stay close to their mistress.”

“He whispers in her ear, and she basks in his attention, trumpeting happily at the sight of him. Doesn't she remember?”

“At this moment, the story in his head was perfect. He also knew from experience that it would degenerate the second he started typing, because such was the nature of writing.”

“90/93-year-old Jacob wonders as he gazes at his aged reflection, 'When did I stop being me?”

“- Dime, ¿de verdad crees que éste es el espectáculo más deslumbrante del mundo?-¿Eh?-No. Ni por asomo. Probablemente ni siquiera es el número cincuenta de la lista de los espectáculos más deslumbrantes del mundo. Tenemos un tercio de la capacidad del circo Ringling. Ya has descubierto que Marlena no pertenece a la realeza rumana. ¿Y Lucinda? De 400 kilos nada, 200 como mucho. ¿Y tú crees que a Frank Otto le tatuaron unos furiosos cazadores de cabezas de Borneo? No fastidies. Antes era un montador del Escuadrón Volador. Se pasó 9 años trabajándose la tinta. ¿Y sabes lo que hizo Tío Al cuando murió el hipopótamo? Cambio el agua por formol y siguió exhibiéndolo. Estuvimos dos semanas viajando con un hipopótamo en conserva. Todo es ilusión, Jacob, y no tienen nada de malo. Es lo que la gente quiere que le demos. Es lo que espera de nosotros.”

“He stares at me, and then leans back in his chair. "He's ill, Jacob."I say nothing. "He's a paragon schnitzophonic.""He's what?!""Paragon schnitzophonic," repeats Uncle Al. "You mean paranoid schizophrenic?""Sure. Whatever. But the bottom line is he's mad as a hatter...”