But the positive thoughts would give way to negative thoughts, and the negative thoughts seemed to swoop into her mind the way a big flock of black crows takes over the landscape, sitting thick in the trees and on the fence rails and lawns, staring at you in ominous silence.

In this world, it's not enough to have a fine education. You need a piece of paper to prove you got it.

I could see why Archimedes got all excited. There was nothing finer than the feeling that came rushing through you when it clicked and you suddenly understood something that had puzzled you. It made you think it just might be possible to get a handle on this old world after all.

Those shining stars, he liked to point out, were one of the special treats for people like us who lived out in the wilderness. Rich city folks, he'd say, lived in fancy apartments, but their air was so polluted they couldn't even see the stars. We'd have to be out of our minds to want to trade places with any of them.

The fact is, you don't love me, and you haven't destroyed me. You don't have what it takes to do that.

Don't be afraid of your dark places. ... If you can shine a light on them, you'll find treasure there.

Too much hard luck can create a permanent meanness of spirit in any creature.