These stories are ghosts, bringing people back from the dead. Just for a moment. For a visit. Every story is a ghost.

Her voice makes me think of her mouth makes me think of her breath makes me think of her breasts.

Books can create a depth of story, a background of information and ideas, that televison and movies can't. Sure, the television shows may shock, but only on a superficial level. They'd never risk market share to really explore the issues. They report, but don't analyze or suggest any new ways for living our lives.

Find joy in everything you choose to do. Every job, relationship, home... it's your responsibility to love it, or change it.

Did perpetual happiness in the Garden of Eden maybe get so boring that eating the apple was justified?

Your being born makes your parents God. You owe them your life, and they can control you. Then puberty makes you Satan, just because you want something better.

The problem in this case was you can't be a middle-aged virgin in America without something being wrong with you. People can't conceive of a virtue in someone else that they can't conceive in themselves. Instead of believing you're stronger, it's so much easier to imagine you're weaker.