The human world is made of stories, not people.

Implausible truth can serve one better than plausible fiction

clocks in disagreement are worse than no clock at all.

I'm not from a milieu where high-register language or philosophical ideas were welcome.

It's a small world. It keeps recrossing itself.

Try this for deviancy: fabricants are mirrors held up to purebloods' conscience; what purebloods see reflected there sickens them. So they blame you for holding the mirror." I hid my shock by asking when purebloods might blame themselves. Mephi replied, "History suggests, not until they are made to.

Have you noticed," said John, "how countries call theirs 'sovereign nuclear deterrents,' but call the other countries' ones 'weapons of mass destruction'?