I don't absolve my father completely of his responsibility for what he did to us I feel compassion, maybe. He had his demons. But I still can't understand how a man can walk away from children. And leave them to starve, as we nearly did, if it wasn't for my mother going out and begging.

I can't go back. The past won't go away in this family.

Sing your song. Dance your dance. Tell your tale.

I admire certain priests and nuns who go off on their own and do God's work on their own, who help in the ghettos, but as far as the institution of the church is concerned, I think it is despicable.

There's so much absurdity. Poverty is so absurd.

The sky is the limit. You never have the same experience twice.

I think I settled on the title before I ever wrote the book.