“I knew books could see people around them, they ground their tiny teeth, tried to rattle like windows, stories to tell.”

“The clerk tripped on the carpet, hit a window and went through, carrying with him a vase which had been on the sill. His skull broke like the vase and the vase broke like his skull, and both burst forth water mainly, and from the vase some flowers. If I could choose a death I’d make it something like that, except I’d add a good woman and some lard.”

“I crept in to find my father with pennies on his eyes - and looking closer I saw they were made of foil-covered chocolate. Of course I stole and ate them. Magical guilt? Tell me about it”

“a story is ready when it falls from your face”

“Most books are so well written they barely have any effect on the reader’s senses”

“The optimist sees the future as a rabbit sees the oncoming truck - getting bigger, not closer.”

“Murder’s the taking of one man’s life by another - war’s the other way around.”