“He glances at the sorry trio of copy editors before him: Dave Belling, a simpleton far too cheerful to compose a decent headline; Ed Rance, who wears a white ponytail--what more need one say?; and Ruby Zaga, who is sure that the entire staff is plotting against her, and is correct. What is the value in remonstrating with such a feckless triumvirate?”

“...news' is often a polite way of saying 'editor's whim.”

“...looking back, has this journalism experience been a nightmare for you?''Not entirely.''Did you enjoy any of it?''I liked going to the library,' he says. 'I think I prefer books to people -- primary sources scare me.”

“You can’t dread what you can’t experience. The only death we experience is that of other people. That’s as bad as it gets. And that’s bad enough, surely.”

“The Internet is to news," he said, "what car horns are to music.”

“One becomes more of a shit as one gets older.”

“I’m too romantic for my own good. And okay, you get kicked in the butt sometimes. But, frankly, I’d rather have, you know — actual sentiments. Than. You know? You know what I mean?”