“The tears are falling freely now, and I don't care if he sees them. They're tears of relief for my nephew, worry for my grandfather and my brother, and shame for my mistake. I figure I earned them.”

“I let all that anger and worry go because they don't belong to me any more than the future does. And I don't wanna feel them anyhow, because the truth is, whatever happens when this war ends, here and now, far from Richmond County, I'm freer than I've ever been.”

“The only difference between a grown-up's mistake and a child's is the size of the consequence.”

“Tears, happy tears, fell from my eyes as I held on to the only person in the world that could take away all of my hurting with a simple smile.”

“We make the things that matter, matter.”

“This is how hatred begins -- with a muffled laugh on a hot night and a knock on the door.”

“One day this war will end. And when it does, Tule Lake will be just a memory.”