I had been educated with free scholarships. I went to nine different universities, always at public expense, and when you have that experience, you are almost obligated to give it back. It's as simple as that.

It was the silent time before dawn, along the shores of what had been one of the most beautiful lakes in southern Africa.

...when men ignite in their hearts a religious fury, they inflict at the same time a blindness on their eyes.

I wish I could tell you about the South Pacific. The way it actually was. The endless ocean. The infinite specks of coral we called islands. Coconut palms nodding gracefully toward the ocean. Reefs upon which waves broke into spray, and inner lagoons, lovely beyond description. I wish I could tell you about the sweating jungle, the full moon rising behind the volcanoes, and the waiting. The waiting. The timeless, repetitive waiting.

Never forget, son, when you represent Texas, always go first class.

The dead are dead but they rely on us to fulfill their hopes.

If your book doesn't keep you up nights when you are writing it, it won't keep anyone up nights reading it.