There were sins that were too subtle to be explained, and there were others that were too terrible to be clearly mentioned. For example, there was sex, which was always smouldering just under the surface and which suddenly blew up into a tremendous row when I was about twelve.

It is fatal to look hungry. It makes people want to kick you.

The real power, the power we have to fight for night and day, is not power over things, but over men

It was almost normal for people over thirty to be frightened of their own children

Some things ARE true, even though the party says they are true.

If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.

The plant is blind but it knows enough to keep pushing upwards towards the light, and it will continue to do this in the face of endless discouragements.