(on asparagus) Europeans of the Renaissance swore by it as an aphrodisiac, and the church banned it from nunneries.

The daily work - that goes on, it adds up.

I love developing children as characters. Children rarely have important roles in literary fiction - they are usually defined as cute or precious, or they create a plot by being kidnapped or dying.

Few people know so clearly what they want. Most people can't even think what to hope for when they throw a penny in a fountain.

The substance of grief is not imaginary. It's as real as rope or the absence of air, and like both those things, it can kill.

Don’t try to make life a mathematics problem with yourself in the center and everything coming out equal. When you’re good, bad things can still happen. And if you’re bad, you can still be lucky.

The happiest people are the ones with the most community.